Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Feb 1990

Vol. 395 No. 3

Written Answers. - Common External and Security Policy.

Peter Barry

Ceist:

70 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he intends, as President of the General Affairs Committee of the European Council of Ministers, to ensure a parallel development of a common foreign and security policy as in the resolution passed by the European Parliament.

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Collins)

The Deputy would appear to be referring to the resolution which the European Parliament adopted on 13 December on security policy and European integration which among other things called on the Foreign Ministers meeting in EPC to ensure that the development of a common external and security policy is assigned as much importance as the other aspects of European integration.

Under the terms of Title III of the Single European Act, the Presidency is required to inform the European Parliament regularly of the foreign policy issues which are being examined within the framework of political co-operation and to ensure that the views of the European Parliament are duly taken into consideration. This has already been done in this case. The French Presidency brought the resolution as a whole to the attention of Ministers so that they would be fully aware of the views of the Parliament on the matter in their continuing discussions in European Political Co-operation.