Olivia Mitchell
Ceist:10 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans, if any, he has to revisit China. [12404/98]
Vol. 491 No. 5
10 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans, if any, he has to revisit China. [12404/98]
20 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will extend an invitation to the Dalai Lama to visit this country; and, if so, if he will meet with him if he accepts. [10965/98]
24 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he intends to visit China as reported in the media; and if he will consider postponing his visit until the Chinese Government agrees to negotiate with the Dalai Lama or his representatives. [10964/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 20 and 24 together.
Deputies will be aware that I visited China from 23 to 28 February of this year and that I had useful and productive meetings with the then Prime Minister and the then Foreign Minister, among others. I have no plans at present for a return visit to China in the near future.
In the course of his meeting with Chinese premier Zhu Rongji at the ASEM summit in London last month an invitation was extended to the Taoiseach to visit China before the end of this year. The Taoiseach accepted this invitation and discussions are currently taking place at official level to determine if it might be possible to undertake the proposed visit this coming September.