John Bruton
Ceist:10 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with Crown Prince Fahd of Saudi Arabia. [14670/97]
Ceisteanna — Questions. - Meeting with Saudi Arabian Prince.
I met His Royal Highness Prince Fahd bin Salman of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, 23 September. At our meeting we mainly discussed bilateral relations, particularly the scope for increased investment and trade between Ireland and Saudi Arabia. I am hopeful that contacts established on foot of our meeting and of Prince Fahd bin Salman's visit to Ireland will lead in time to positive developments on this front.
I also took the opportunity to express our appreciation of the fact that Saudi Arabia is an important importer of Irish beef.
Did the Taoiseach express concern about human rights in Saudi Arabia and, in particular, some aspects of its penal policy?
The announcement about the nurses was made on the morning of our lunch appointment. The prince raised the issue and outlined the legal position in his country. He said that under Saudi Arabian law it was open to a relative of the victim to seek to have the penalty waived. I formed the impression that he hoped this would happen in this instance.
Did the Taoiseach express the view to the prince that it might be in the general interest if Saudi Arabia were to accede to more international conventions on human rights than has been the case?
We discussed those issues in brief terms. Most of the discussion related to trade and the opportunities which the prince, acting on behalf of his people, is trying to promote, for example, investment opportunities next year. Some of his colleagues remained in Ireland to discuss with the various statutory agencies the possibility of further pursuing some of these developments.
(Dublin West): Did the Taoiseach protest at the barbaric nature of this regime where, according to most international legal bodies, public beheadings arising from trials which are a mockery are common and where poor women from Third World countries are kept in appalling conditions of servitude and their rights are not vindicated by the state? Did he allow trade considerations to override concern for these crucial human rights issues?
The prince raised with me the case in the public domain. Our views on the appropriateness of the death penalty and other very strict sanctions and the need for a fair judicial system are well known to the prince who is a regular visitor here. This is the context in which he raised the issue with me.