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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 8 Apr 1997

Vol. 477 No. 2

Written Answers - Foreign Contacts and Visits.

Joe Walsh

Ceist:

53 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans, if any, he has to visit Iran, Libya, Egypt or Russia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9182/97]

Joe Walsh

Ceist:

54 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the last occasion on which the joint trade commission between Ireland and Iran, of which he is co-chairman, met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9186/97]

Joe Walsh

Ceist:

55 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans, if any, he has to seek a meeting of the joint trade commission between Ireland and Iran, of which he is co-chairman; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9187/97]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 53, 54 and 55 together.

The Joint Commission for Economic, Industrial, Scientific and Technical Co-operation between Ireland and the Islamic Republic of Iran last met in Dublin in 1994. There have been some scheduling difficulties on both sides in fixing mutually convenient dates for the next meeting, which is to be held in Iran. Meanwhile, I have spoken a number of times to my Iranian counterpart who is co-chairman of the joint commission, most recently at our meeting last autumn in New York. I also met the Deputy Speaker of the Iranian parliament who led a visiting delegation to Ireland on 14-15 November, and the Secretary of my Department had a meeting with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran on 29 November.

I do not propose to visit Libya, but the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry made a visit there in July 1996.

I visited Egypt and Russia in 1996 and have had numerous contacts with their Governments in relation both to European Union business and to specifically Irish interests such as beef and cattle exports. For example, I expect to see the Foreign Minister of Egypt at a meeting in Malta next week, and the Foreign Minister of Russia at a meeting in May.

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