Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:12 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the degree to which he proposes to positively influence the situation in the former Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22302/00]
Other Questions. - Foreign Conflicts.
John Gormley
Ceist:26 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on recent developments in Yugoslavia and Irish Government and EU policy towards the region. [22182/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 26 together.
The Government warmly welcomes the recent developments in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which have seen Mr. Yojislav Kostunica installed as President. With our European partners, we will work to help the new President consolidate this democratic decision by the people, to support the rule of law and respect for human rights and to achieve the necessary economic reconstruction of the country. Together with the Taoiseach, I met President Kostunica at a luncheon meeting held at the end of the informal European Council in Biarritz last Saturday. He has been assured of the welcome for a democratic Yugoslavia in the European family and he is also aware of our desire to restore normal bilateral relations with his country.
We are actively considering what assistance we may be able to provide to Serbia in the coming months. We have already provided some humanitarian assistance for Serbian refugees as well as support for the free media in Serbia. Ireland supported the recent decision by the European Union to remove the oil embargo and the flight ban. We will review, together with our EU partners, the remaining measures to ensure their impact is confined to former President Milosovic and his immediate associates. It remains our view that all indicted war criminals in Serbia should be brought for trial at the International Criminal Tribunal in the Hague as soon as possible.
The European Council meeting last week-end in Biarritz endorsed an immediate aid package of 200 million euros. Ireland supported this decision. In the period ahead, we will work constructively, with our EU partners and the countries of the region, to ensure the process of democratisation and stabilisation proceeds as quickly and effectively as possible. We will also be supporting the rapid integration of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia into the Stability Pact for South East Europe. We will be able to review the results of these initial efforts to assist Yugoslavia at the forthcoming Summit of the European Union and Balkan States to be held in Zagreb on 24 November.
The Zagreb Summit, together with the implementation of the decisions reached in the framework of the Stability Pact, should pave the way for enhanced co-operation at the regional level. In this regard, we look forward to closer relations between the countries of the region and the Euro pean Union. Ireland will continue to actively support the consolidation of democracy and economic reconstruction of the region through our participation in the international peace-keeping bodies in the former Yugoslavia and the provision of rehabilitation assistance.
I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. Given the present volatile situation in Yugoslavia, is he prepared to use Ireland's considerable influence at UN and EU level to follow up the thrust of what he has indicated to the House in a progressive and positive way to ensure the protection of the institutions of state, which are emerging democratically? I hope that there will be consistent and persistent follow up in the pursuit of those accused of war crimes and that there will be no dispute whatever about the position taken by the rest of the free world.
The view is that the first priority is to consolidate the election victory of the democratic forces in Yugoslavia. Only then will the new administration be in a position to act on international warrants. President Kostunica is aware of international public opinion on this issue. My colleagues and I will be monitoring closely developments in this regard but we must be pragmatic and understand the need to prioritise for the moment. There is no question of Mr. Milosevic being let off the hook. As the Deputy said, we will act in all fora in the years ahead, including at Security Council and UN level, as constructively as we can to bring about a regeneration of the economy of the Balkan region. There is a need for the countries in that region to improve bilateral relations with one another and to rebuild from the catastrophe which has befallen them all. There are now democratic forces in all these countries and it is a matter of assisting them through the Stabilisation Pact and the various mechanisms available between themselves bilaterally and as a region to see how we can assist them to rebuild their country and consolidate democracy in the region.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.