Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 5 Nov 2003

Vol. 573 No. 4

Written Answers. - Foreign Conflicts.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

237 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the Palestinian Authority President, Yasser Arafat's, recent call for international intervention by the quartet to stop escalating Israeli war crimes; his further views on the Palestinian Foreign Minister's recent call for international observers; his further views on whether the EU high representative Javier Solana's response to Israel to date is adequate; if the Government will make a stronger response on its own behalf; and if not, if it will at least urge the EU to do so. [25890/03]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

The Government supports the principle of an international monitoring presence in the occupied Palestinian territories under the auspices of the quartet. The Government has already decided to make Irish personnel available to participate in such a presence, subject to the usual requirements of the Defence Acts. The high representative plays an important role in articulating the positions of the European Union to both Israeli and Palestinian interlocutors.