Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 13 Nov 2003

Vol. 574 No. 3

Ceisteanna – Questions. Priority Questions. - Foreign Conflicts.

Michael D. Higgins

Ceist:

2 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of civilian casualties estimated to have lost their lives to date in the recent war in Iraq; the details of the commitment made by Ireland at the recent pledging conference in Madrid; the conditions attached; the information he has regarding the locations and the circumstances in which prisoners taken in Iraq are being held by the occupying powers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26892/03]

Mr. Cowen

The Government does not have any information on casualty figures other than those readily available in the public domain. These usually vary between 8,000 and 15,000. My officials have been in contact with relevant multilateral organisations on this matter but none of the organisations involved was in a position to give us such figures, as they either did not compile them or could not guarantee their reliability.

At the Madrid conference Ireland pledged up to €3 million to the future humanitarian and recovery needs of Iraq. It is intended that this pledge will be mainly channelled through the UN window of the international reconstruction fund facility for Iraq, and through valued partners such as UN agencies, international organisations and NGOs. Discussions will take place over the coming months with these partner organisations to examine sectors and priorities on a needs basis. This pledge was in addition to €5 million in humanitarian assistance delivered to date in 2003.

In its statement at the Madrid conference, Ireland clearly outlined its views on the best conditions for the successful reconstruction of Iraq. Ireland considers it essential that the recovery and reconstruction process is undertaken in a safe and secure operating environment; is owned and implemented by the Iraqi people; that high levels of international engagement are sustained for as long as is necessary; and that the UN is at the heart of the recovery process.

As regards the final part of the question, I have no knowledge of the locations and circumstances in which prisoners are being held in Iraq. There are no indications at present that any prisoners being taken in Iraq have been transferred, for example, to Guantanamo Bay.

However, the Government has from the outset called on all parties in the conflict to respect their obligations under international law both in regard to the status of civilians and in regard to prisoners of war. This policy is in keeping with the public pronouncements of UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, and had been established long before the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1483. This resolution calls upon all concerned to comply fully with their obligations under international law including, in particular, the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Hague Regulations of 1907. The treatment of prisoners of war is specifically covered by the Third Geneva Convention. The US and UK have publicly committed themselves to doing so.

Mr. M. Higgins

Is the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen, aware of the report published yesterday by Medact in association with the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize winners, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War? The report suggests that military deaths in Iraq range between 13,500 and 45,000 and civilian casualties between 5,708 and 7,356. I understand when the Minister says that there are difficulties in establishing absolute figures. However, is the Minister concerned that since President Bush announced the war was over, the number of casualties on the US and British side have exceeded the total number of casualties during the war? There seems to be little international attention to Iraqi casualties, particularly among civilians.

It is extraordinary that the Minister cannot say how many prisoners there are, the conditions in which they are held and even where they are, when Ireland tacitly supports the occupation through maintaining the availability of Shannon Airport to US forces. It is a clear requirement of the occupying forces to uphold the Geneva Convention. On the medical side, it is pointless to say that conditions are difficult. Of course they are, but the occupying forces also carry an obligation under the Geneva Convention regarding medical facilities.

What has been done to ensure that Irish funding of humanitarian aid goes to the specified agencies? I support what we give in humanitarian aid to UNICEF. However, what is the Minister doing when US forces claim that this aid was solicited by people serving in the forces who wrote home and, also, that the schools assisted by UNICEF are assisted by private donations from the United States? Has the Minister taken measures to protect the integrity of the aid organisations, including UN ones, and their desire to stay separate from the military occupation of Iraq?

Mr. Cowen

I am not aware of the report that the Deputy referred to and I will have it checked. I am concerned at the continuing loss of life in Iraq and the occurrence of terrorist bombings and attacks. We want to see a secure environment there as quickly as possible. On the political track, we want to see the sovereignty of interim Iraqi authorities restored through incrementalism, until such time as constitutional elections can be held and a representative Government elected.

We support UN Resolution 1511. However, we do not give tacit support to the occupation and instead support the UN's efforts to bring about the restoration of sovereignty to the Iraqi people. We believe that Resolution 1511 provides a framework for necessary further discussions within the Security Council and the international community to bring these efforts about.

The Deputy can be assured that we carefully monitor where our humanitarian aid goes. The pledges that were made in Madrid refer to future humanitarian aid pledges. We have already spent €5 million this year and are satisfied that it went to the agencies we specified. For the pledged €3 million, we will enter into further discussions with those reputable agencies to ensure that the aid goes where we want it to go.

Mr. M. Higgins

No contract has been given outside of the US for the reconstruction of Iraq.

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

3 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a detailed policy statement on the Palestinian issue; and his views on the recent call by the Palestinian Foreign Minister, Dr. Nabil Shaath, for international observers in order to assist their peace process. [26890/03]

Mr. Cowen

Ireland's policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is well known and of long standing. Since the early 1980s, Ireland has supported the concept of a Palestinian state living beside Israel in peace and security. This concept is now generally accepted in the international community and is incorporated in the roadmap for Middle East peace, elaborated by the international quartet of Russia, the US, the EU and the UN.

The roadmap sets out a series of measures, in three phases, to be taken by the two sides in the areas of security, economic and humanitarian policy and political development. These measures include an end to settlement expansion, a renewal of security co-operation, resolute action against terrorism and a lifting of closures. It provides for an international monitoring mechanism to be established in consultation with the parties and sets a timeframe for the parties to meet their obligations. In the first half of 2004, Ireland will hold the EU Presidency and it will be our responsibility to represent the European Union within the international quartet and we shall press to ensure that the roadmap is implemented and that the two parties meet their obligations in full and in parallel.

Some have suggested that the roadmap has run into a dead end and that a new initiative should be brought forward. The reality is that the roadmap contains all the elements which must form part of any comprehensive solution and that there is no evident scope for a further initiative other than in the framework of the roadmap.

As I have said previously, certain elements are essential to revive the peace process. These include a renewal of the ceasefire and an end to terrorist activity and to extra-judicial killings. There must also be an active security policy on the part of the Palestinian Authority, and an end to settlement building and the construction of the separation wall on Palestinian land.

I am aware of the call by Dr. Nabil Shaath for international observers to assist the peace process. In fact there are already international observers active in and around the Palestinian town of Hebron. There is also considerable monitoring work carried out by the diplomatic missions of the European Union in the occupied Palestinian territories. This is reflected in their regular reports on Jerusalem, settlements and other issues. The Government supports the principle of an international monitoring presence in the occupied Palestinian territories under the auspices of the international quartet, and will make Irish personnel available to participate in such a presence, subject to the usual requirements of the Defence Acts.

Mr. F. McGrath

I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen, for his detailed response.

Does the Minister accept that this Israeli Government – not its people – is behaving like a rogue state, ridiculing international law and making a mockery of the Geneva Conventions? It is time to wake up to the latest acts of Israeli aggression. Recently, there have been helicopter strikes in Gaza, killing 14 Palestinians and injuring 160. The invasion of the Rafah refugee camp left 18 dead, including three children, and over 200 homes destroyed, with 2,000 refugees homeless again. This is an unacceptable way for a state to act.

Does the Minister support the UN resolution concerning Israel's apartheid wall that was overwhelmingly endorsed by the General Assembly? I urge the Minister to use all his power and influence at EU and UN levels to send observers and move forward the attempts to restore the peace process. Does the Minister accept that Ireland as a small, neutral state, can play a significant role in this matter?

Deputy Michael D. Higgins referred to Iraqi civilian deaths. We must also approach Palestinian deaths with fairness and equality. In the western media, the impression is given that they do not count. Will the Minister go out on the international stage and push this matter onto the agenda?

Mr. Cowen

We all agreed that there should be no hierarchy of grief and no priority given to the deaths of one ethnic group or another. However, Deputy Finian McGrath did not condemn Palestinian suicide bombings either. We need to recognise that there is a failure on both sides to meet the responsibilities under the roadmap. If we want to have influence we must be cognisant of the fact that there have been some symbolic gestures on one side and ineffective security responses on the other. In addition, I condemn extra-judicial killings, suicide bombings, occupation and all of these things. However, utterances of condemnation do not move the situation forward. We must now support the new Palestinian Cabinet that has been appointed. Through the quartet group we must work with the Israeli Government to encourage it to meet its responsibilities. The responsibilities are on both sides and are in parallel. As we know from our own peace process the politics of condemnation and the politics of the last atrocity do not propel the peace process forward.

While acknowledging the futility of violence on all sides, let us use the opportunity of having the EU Presidency to call on all sides to come to the table to recognise there is no military solution to this problem, and that the best prospect of securing the interests of the respective peoples of Palestine and Israel is through an effective peace process as set out in the roadmap and the need for people to get on with implementing it. This is how we can add value to what we can achieve during our Presidency of the European Union. This will be my approach.

I will meet the Israeli Foreign Minister on the margins of a Council meeting next Tuesday to discuss these matters. I will make these points regarding their need to meet their responsibilities just as I told President Arafat when I met him that the Palestinians need to meet their responsibilities also.