Roger T. Garland
Ceist:48 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether Irish neutrality has been compromised by allowing American military planes to refuel at Shannon Airport.
Written Answers. - Irish Neutrality and UN Resolutions.
I made clear, in the Dáil debate on the Gulf conflict on 18 January, that there can be no question of invoking neutrality in connection with our obligations under the United Nations Charter.
Article 25 of the UN Charter provides that "the members of the United Nations agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council in accordance with the present Charter". Paragraph 2 of Resolution 678, adopted by the Security Council on 29 November 1990 authorised UN member states co-operating with the Government of Kuwait to use all necessary means to uphold and implement the previous relevant Security Council Resolutions. Paragraph 3 requested all states to provide appropriate support for the actions undertaken in pursuance of paragraph 2.
In accordance with that resolution and in pursuance of its commitments under the Charter, the Government agreed to allow landing and refuelling facilities for American military aircraft if requested under Resolution 678.
In the event, the US military aircraft which refuelled at Shannon in recent months were engaged in VIP transport, and no request was received from the US for facilities for military aircraft in pusurance of Security Council Resolution 678.