Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 2 Dec 1999

Vol. 512 No. 2

Written Answers. - Partnership for Peace.

Michael D. Higgins

Ceist:

73 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the presentation documents for Partnership for Peace have been exchanged; if an ambassador has been accredited to the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council; if so, if he has attended any meetings of the council; if the country was represented at the Partnership for Peace co-ordination cell at Mons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25504/99]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

Following the Dáil approval of Ireland's participation in Partnership for Peace and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, I signed the PfP Framework Document yesterday in Brussels and transmitted Ireland's presentation document to the NATO secretariat.

The Government has not yet accredited an ambassador to the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, but it is intended to accredit the ambassador to Belgium also to the council. In addition, the Government intends to be represented at the Partnership for Peace Co-ordination Cell at Mons. As the Deputy will be aware, an Irish military officer is currently stationed as a Liaison Officer at Mons in connection with our participation in SFOR and KFOR, the UN-mandated, NATO-led peacekeeping forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, respectively.