Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 13 Nov 2003

Vol. 574 No. 3

Written Answers. - Foreign Conflicts.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

39 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action the Government will take at UN level or at other levels to assist in the resolution of the ongoing problem of the non-recognition of the right to independence of the West Papuan people. [26731/03]

Michael Ring

Ceist:

81 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the current political situation in West Papua; the action he has taken to encourage a review of the UN's conduct in relation to the act of free choice in West Papua; and if his Department has had contact with the Indonesian Government on the matter. [26804/03]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 81 together.

On a number of occasions this year, I have set out the Government's position with reference to the situation in Papua. At the April 2003 meeting of the EU External Relations Council, Ireland, together with our EU partners, adopted revised Council conclusions on Indonesia, confirming the EU support for the territorial integrity of Indonesia.

The question of a review of UN conduct with the Act of Free Choice in Papua, would require the support of UN member states. Enquiries, made at my request by our Permanent Representative to the UN, confirm that, at present, there is no significant support for such an initiative. There is, moreover, concern that such an approach might prejudice ongoing efforts to initiate a meaningful dialogue with the Indonesian Government, and would not contribute to the amelioration of the current situation of the Papuan people.

I met with the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Mr. Wirajuda, at the EU-ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting, at Brussels in January 2003, and raised issues of particular concern, including the situation in Papua. My colleague the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Kitt, also met with Mr. Wirajuda at the ASEM Foreign Ministers meeting in July 2003, and reiterated these concerns.

Officials from my Department raised these concerns when they met with their Indonesian counterparts at the ASEM senior officials meeting in Jakarta, on 12 and 13 May 2003, and again at the senior officials meeting on 21 and 22 July 2003, which preceded the ASEM Foreign Ministers meeting. Officials of my Department also meet regularly with representatives of the West Papua Action Group. Recently, on 12 September 2003, they met with Mr. Aloysius Renwarin, Director of the Papua-based Institute for Human Rights Study.

The Government continues to monitor closely the situation in Papua, and will continue to encourage the authorities in Indonesia to act with full regard to the interests of the people of Papua. I welcome the decision in August 2003 of the Indonesian Government to suspend the implementation of the presidential decree dividing Papua into three provinces.

Ireland, together with our EU partners, will continue to support the development of a strengthened partnership and effective dialogue between the EU and Indonesia. The Government sees this as the most effective framework at this time for addressing our serious concerns about the situation in Papua.