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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 27 Jan 1994

Vol. 437 No. 7

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Common Foreign and Security Policy.

Phil Hogan

Ceist:

1 Mr. Hogan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland has any difficulty implementing the provision in the Treaty of European Union relating to a Common Foreign and Security Policy; if this agreement has any implications for the policy of military neutrality; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Seán Barrett

Ceist:

10 Mr. Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the recent call by the President of the EC Commission, Mr. Jacques Delors, for an EC Defence Policy to allow the Community act as a single political entity within the Atlantic alliance.

Phil Hogan

Ceist:

52 Mr. Hogan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Government policy in relation to a Common Foreign and Security Policy as agreed in the Treaty on European Union.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1, 10 and 52 together.

The Government is participating actively and constructively in the development and implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union. The provisions of Title V of the Maastricht Treaty, on which the CFSP is founded, were designed to enable the member states of the Union to develop their co-operation on foreign and security policy issues and to permit the Union to play a more coherent role in international affairs commensurate with its standing and responsibilities in the world.

As a result of the detailed preparatory work carried out between the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in February 1992 and its entry into force on 1 November last year — work in which Irish representatives, including the Taoiseach and myself were fully involved — the Council of Ministers were able to act immediately on the entry into force of the treaty to adopt joint actions on humanitarian aid to Bosnia; the sending of European Union observers to the elections in Russia; support for the transition towards a democratic and multi-racial South Africa and the launching of an initiative for a security pact in Europe. Joint actions in relation to the Middle East peace plan are also under consideration.

I am aware of the speech made by the President of the Commission to the Institute of International Strategic Studies in Brussels. He was speaking in his own name and not expressing a position agreed by the member states of the European Union.

The Maastricht Treaty makes special provision, under Article J4, for issues arising under the CFSP which have defence implications. Such issues may be referred to the Western European Union for elaboration and implementation. Ireland has become an observer to the Western European Union and regularly attends meetings of the Western European Union in that capacity. As an observer we do not participate in Western European Union decisions and observer status does not require us to undertake any mutual defence commitments or military obligations under the Brussels Treaty establishing the Western European Union.

Discussions on the scope and content of a future common defence policy and on the question of a common defence are for further negotiations. The treaty specifically provides for an intergovernmental conference in 1996 to review the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The results of these negotiations will have to be agreed unanimously by all the member states. As stated in the Programme for a Partnership Government, the Government is committed to putting the outcome of any future negotiation that would involve Ireland's participation in a common defence policy to the people in a referendum.

I have already made clear to this House that there is a need for a full and informed discussion of the question of European security and defence in the light of the ongoing developments in this area and in preparation for the intergovernmental conference. I am considering the possibility of publishing a document on the matter. I expect that the discussions of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs will also make an important and substantial contribution to the debate.

The Tánaiste gave a very woolly reply to a specific question. I asked him to elaborate on his opinion in respect of the implementation of a common foreign and security policy and the role he would like to see played by Ireland particularly as we are a signatory of the European Union. Will he agree that his statement today conflicts with statements made outside this House during the last Dáil session by the Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, who indicated that we will line up with neutral members such as Sweden and Austria and play our role in ensuring that military neutrality is not interfered with in the context of a common foreign and security policy arrangement under the treaty?

As I stated in my reply, there is need for a full and informed discussion on the question of European security and defence and it is timely that we should publish a document on those matters. The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, which has been very active since its establishment, will have a major role to play. Obviously, consideration must be given to such matters prior to the intergovernmental conference in 1996. I had discussions with officials in my Department in relation to the best format for such a discussion document. I said previously in this House that it is important the Irish people are well informed on fundamental matters in terms of security and defence because of the many changes in recent years in relation to European security and the widespread debate in many European countries on European defence matters.

On a point of order, the Minister indicated that he was replying to Questions Nos. 1, 10 and 52. Why did he not address Nos. 42 and 61 which relate to those matters?

I remind the Deputy that the time for priority questions is precious.

Without examining the details of the questions to which the Deputy referred, I assume that they refer to different aspects of this matter and I will address them separately.

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