Eamon Gilmore
Ceist:75 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he proposes to take any initiatives during Ireland's Presidency of the EC to put pressure on the South African authorities to end the apartheid regime there.
Written Answers. - Abolition of Apartheid.
Since President de Klerk's accession to power last year, there have been a number of positive developments in South Africa. Also, within the past ten days President de Klerk has taken further very significant steps, most notably the release on 11 February of Nelson Mandela. These important steps pave the way for negotiations with all genuine representatives of the South African people, the aim of which must be the total abolition of apartheid. As such, they are welcome.
The Twelve have set as their objective the complete abolition of apartheid and have agreed at the European Council in Strasbourg last December to maintain the pressure that they exert on the South African authorities in order to promote the profound and irreversible changes which they have repeatedly stood for and to reconsider it when there is clear evidence that these changes have been obtained. Our approach during the Irish Presidency will be based on this position of the Twelve.