Vol. 430 No. 4
33 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will publish the paper on economic and social topics which was considered at the Anglo-Irish Conference on 3 February 1993, and when the expected follow-up report, being prepared by the Secretariat, will be ready.
Arising from a discussion of the scope for North/South economic and social co-operation which took place at a meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference in November 1992, the Conference considered at its meeting on 3 February 1993 a joint paper identifying a number of topics in this field which might usefully be discussed at future meetings. At its subsequent meeting on 23 March 1993, at which North/South trade and tourism were discussed, the Conference confirmed that arrangements had been made for the discussion of a number of further economic and social topics at forthcoming meetings: Enterprise and Employment; Science and Technology; Arts and Culture; Inland fisheries; Education; Transport; and Agriculture.
35 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has written to the Norwegian Government expressing his opposition to that country's plans to resume commercial whaling in defiance of the International Whaling Commission; and if the Irish Government will be opposing Norway's efforts to gain EC membership if it resumes this practice.
Discussion of a revised management scheme for the regulation of commercial whaling are ongoing in the framework of the International Whaling Commission at present. The next round of talks are scheduled for later this month. The Government looks forward to a new and satisfactory whaling regime being agreed without delay. Both Ireland and Norway are members of the International Whaling Commission. We are fully familiar with each others views as expressed in that forum.
Concerning the second part of the question, Ireland welcomes the application of Norway to join the Community/Union and looks forward to a successful and speedy conclusion to the negotiations.
Official negotiations between the Community member states and Norway opened on 5 April. As the Danish Presidency pointed out at the opening negotiating session, accession implies full acceptance of the actual and potential rights and obligations attaching to the Community system and its institutional framework, known as the "acuis communautaire".
