Ciarán Cuffe
Ceist:70 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council at the NATO Prague Summit in November 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26484/02]
Written Answers. - Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council.
The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, EAPC, which comprises 46 nations, met at head of state and Government levels on 22 November in Prague, the day after the summit of the 19 NATO members.
The EAPC is a political framework for discussions in the broad Euro-Atlantic area on matters such as the future development of peacekeeping, as well as on non-military matters such as disaster relief in Europe. Grounded in the basic principles of the UN Charter and the OSCE basic documents, its work complements and reinforces the work of other international organisations. Ireland has found participation in the PfP and EAPC to be of particular benefit in the peacekeeping area, especially through the development of enhanced interoperability which is improving our ability to undertake peacekeeping operations in a safe and effective manner.
The EAPC meeting on 22 November was the first meeting at the heads of state and Government levels since Ireland joined PfP in December 1999. Ireland was represented by the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, and was joined by representatives from other EAPC states, which include other European neutral and non-aligned states such as Austria, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland.
The EAPC meeting in Prague focused on the broad theme of the future direction of PfP and of the EAPC in the twenty-first century. Two papers in particular provided a focus for discussion. A Comprehensive Review of the EAPC and the PfP outlined proposals for further developing partnership. This text included a number of innovations and adaptations for the EAPC and PfP. These included greater political and security-related consultations, enhancing interoperability in peacekeeping operations, a reflection of broader approaches to security, improved liaison, more regional co-operation and greater involvement in decision-making, as well as proposals in the civil-military area. Ireland had no difficulty with the text, which in no way altered the partnership's core approach of self-differentiation. This means each participating country can decide on the extent of its participation.
Representatives also considered a Partnership Action Plan Against Terrorism, which contains proposals for further co-operation among partners in the post-11 September context. The plan is set in the context of UN Security Council Resolution 1373 which aimed to strengthen the global response to terrorism, and is complementing efforts under way in other international organisations. It provides a loose framework to expand some existing EAPC activities that contribute to combating terrorism. This includes, for instance, intensified consultation and information sharing, enhanced preparedness for operations against terrorism, means of impeding support for terrorist groups, ways of contributing towards the management of the consequences of terrorism, as well as assistance for individual EAPC countries efforts against terrorism.
It is clearly stated that the core principle of self-differentiation also applies to the plan in that the efforts against terrorism outlined are open to all EAPC participants that are willing and able to contribute. Moreover, the complementarity between efforts in this area in the EAPC framework and in other relevant international bodies is clearly underlined.