Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Oct 1998

Vol. 494 No. 4

Written Answers. - UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

John Gormley

Ceist:

130 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he has made any protest to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees arising from the decision to veto the authorisations granted by the Chinese authorities for a print journalist to accompany her on her recent visit to Tibet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18325/98]

John Gormley

Ceist:

131 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the concerns, if any, he has voiced to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees arising from the recent decision of the High Commissioner to be accompanied on her visit to Tibet by a broadcast journalist who was concerned primarily with the making of a documentary on the High Commissioner in view of the sensitive human rights situation there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18326/98]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights was present in China last month in her official capacity at the invitation of the Chinese authorities. The Government and its partners in the European Union were pleased that the visit was permitted to take place. However, as the visit was solely the responsibility of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, it would have been inappropriate for the Government to have become involved in any way either with the substance of the visit or with its organisational aspects including issues such as press access and coverage.