Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 24 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 5

Written Answers. - Partnership for Peace.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

122 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the current position in regard to Ireland's participation in Partnership for Peace; the extent to which he has discussed security policy with his EU colleagues in recent months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22947/00]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith):

As the House will be aware Ireland joined Partnership for Peace on 1 December 1999. The areas of interest to Ireland in Partnership for Peace are set out in the presentation document which was approved by Dáil Éireann on 9 November 1999 and which was presented to the NATO secretariat upon signature by Ireland of the PfP Framework Document on 1 December 1999. PfP is of importance in facilitating planning and co-operation for the Petersberg Tasks.

In consultation with the NATO secretariat, an individual partnership programme is being developed for the year 2001, which will set out the level and extent of proposed participation in such areas as co-operation in peacekeeping principles, doctrine, training, exercises and inter-operability in peacekeeping operations.

Ireland's involvement in PfP in the year 2001 will focus on the enhancement of current skills and expertise in such areas as operational and generic planning for peacekeeping and peace support, communications, command and control, operational procedures and logistics. This will take the form of participation at appropriate meetings, seminars and training courses.

In line with the PfP principle of self-differentiation, Ireland retains the final say on the scope and content of the individual partnership programme.

Ireland intends to participate in the PfP planning and review process, PARP, with a view to enhancing interoperability with our PfP partners in such areas as tactics, operational cohesion, logistics and language training. The aim is to create the conditions in which different contingents can work together efficiently and effectively. Ireland wishes to contribute its UN peacekeeping experience by playing an active part in humanitarian, rescue, peacekeeping and crisis management tasks – the Petersberg Tasks – in support of the European Union's CFSP. Ireland sees PfP in general, and the PARP in particular, as having a significant role to role in co-operation and planning for participation in such tasks.

On 22 September 2000, I attended an informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers in Paris. This was the second such informal meeting this year, the first having taken place at Sintra, Portugal, on 28 February. The Paris meeting provided an opportunity to discuss informally, developments regarding European defence and security policy. It was not a decision making forum.