Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 30 Jan 2003

Vol. 560 No. 2

Written Answers. - Foreign Conflicts.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

43 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the growing concerns about the present policy of the Government of Israel in relation to Palestine; if he is monitoring developments; and if he will make a statement on Irish initiatives to bring about a peaceful reconciliation of the competing interests. [2219/03]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

The situation in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories is a matter of constant concern to the Government and is closely monitored by my Department, both through our international contacts and through the work of our diplomatic missions in Tel Aviv, Ramallah and elsewhere in the region.

As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland is a major donor of aid to the Palestinian people, both bilaterally and through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. We are actively involved in ongoing international efforts to help the Palestinian Authority reform and modernise its structures. At present a Palestinian ministerial delegation is in Ireland to consult the National Standards Authority of Ireland.

The most important international initiative currently in progress is the road map for a Palestinian state and a comprehensive regional settlement, which has been developed by the quartet over the past six months and which is expected to be adopted in February. Ireland participated in the elaboration of this initiative both during our term on the UN Security Council and as a member of the European Union. This plan envisages a phased process over three years based on defined and verifiable obligations on both Israelis and Palestinians. The road map will require measures to be taken simultaneously in the political, security, economic and institutional fields. Provision is made for compliance by both sides to be monitored by an international mechanism. The Government has already decided that Ireland would be prepared to participate in that mechanism, subject to the requirements of the Defence Acts.

The Government has consistently emphasised to the Israeli authorities the need to pursue a political solution and not to rely on security measures alone. We have likewise called for an end to the expansion of settlements and to the arbitrary use of extrajudicial killings. We believe that Israel must act with restraint in response to terrorist acts and must conduct itself in a manner which is fully consistent with international humanitarian law.

Equally, we have encouraged the Palestinian leadership to persist in its efforts to resolve the conflict through exclusively peaceful means and to take whatever measures are within their power to prevent future terrorist attacks, and to bring the planners of such attacks to justice.

Overall the Government is calling on both sides to comply in full with the requirements of Security Council Resolutions and to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible.