I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 28 and 32 together.
The liaison group mentioned in the first question addresses to the President of the Council of Ministers at least once during the term of each European Community Presidency a memorandum on the situation in South Africa. These memoranda receive careful consideration in the formulation of policy in my Department.
The South African parties committed to a peaceful solution are broadly agreed on the need for a multi-party forum in which negotiations on a new constitution can proceed. Agreement has not yet been reached on how the negotiations should be structured, and on what institutional arrangements should apply as the transition to a fully democratic society takes place. These are matters for the parties themselves to determine. Ireland, together with its European Community partners, will continue, however, to press for an early start to negotiations on a new constitution for a united, democratic and non-racial South Africa.
There have been some very positive developments in South Africa over the recent past. The legislative steps to repeal the major remaining pillars of apartheid have been taken by parliament, and the way is now open for negotiations on a new South Africa. The Government welcome the repeal of the Group Areas Act and the Land Acts as well as the Population Registration Act. We also welcome the repeal or amendment of a number of provisions of the Internal Security Act.
There remain, however, obstacles in the way of opening substantive constitutional negotiations, notably delays in the release of all political prisoners and in the return of South African exiles from abroad. These are matters which the Taoiseach discussed with President De Klerk when he visited Ireland in April. Subsequently, the Twelve have been in frequent contact with the South African Government on these various issues and have made known our concern at the negative effects of delays on the creation of a climate conductive to negotiations. On 28-29 June at the European Council in Luxembourg, the Twelve issued a Declaration on South Africa again expressing the hope that a rapid solution can be found to the problem of political prisoners and to that of the return of exiles.
The Community has also been in touch with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees on the question of the repatriation of South African exiles and will continue to promote an agreement satisfactory to all concerned. The Government have already provided £25,000 last year to the UNHCR's Special Programme for this purpose. We naturally wish to see that programme become operational as early as possible.
While the South African Government clearly have the primary responsibility for law and order, all parties have an obligation to work for tolerance and to seek ways to bring the violence to an end. I was heartened by the results of the 22 June conference on violence under the aegis of Church and business leaders, but just how fragile the situation is was demonstrated by further violent incidents only a few days later. We believe nevertheless that the constructive attitudes evident at that meeting offer hope that the violence can be tackled effectively. The Luxembourg Declaration also reiterated the concern of the Twelve about the violence in South Africa and called on the South African Government to spare no effort to uphold law and public order. The Declaration noted the consultations on this grave problem and called on all parties to display moderation.
Irish policy on sanctions is the subject of consultations within the Twelve. The overall objective of the Twelve is a united, democratic, non-racial South Africa and we have set out a number of specific steps which we wish to see taken in pursuit of that objective. As these steps are taken the sanctions which we have applied to bring about change are modified accordingly. There have already been positive developments over the past year and a half and we are ready to make further modifications as this process continues.
