Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 April 2009
497 Deputy Michael Noonan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will contact his EU colleagues and seek their support for the Mexican position being advocated at the UN Security Council on the conflict in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15292/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraGiven the gravity of the humanitarian and political situation in Sri Lanka, I very much welcome and support all international initiatives underway to relieve the humanitarian situation in the short term and thereafter to help bring about a swift resolution to the conflict there.
The Government have been strongly supportive of efforts by Mexico and others to have the humanitarian situation, and broader political context, raised at the UN Security Council. In my discussions with my Mexican counterpart, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms Patricia Espinosa, in Mexico City on 16 March, I made clear our support for their efforts at the Security Council, where Mexico is currently serving as a non-permanent member. In New York, our Permanent Representative to the UN has repeatedly raised our very deep concerns about Sri Lanka, and our hopes for effective UN and international action at various meetings involving Members of the Security Council, EU Member States, other members of the UN, as well as with senior UN officials.
I very much regret that not all Members of the Security Council believe that the situation in Sri Lanka should be discussed at the Council. Some members of the Council argue that the conflict in Sri Lanka does not represent a threat to international peace and security. The Council has therefore been unable to formally discuss the issue, much less take any mandatory action in this regard.
I am, of course, highly appreciative of activities across the UN system which are helping to redress the tragic humanitarian situation in the country. In this respect, I very much commend the commitment of the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, and that of his Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, John Holmes, in relation to the conflict. I welcome in particular the visit by the Under Secretary General to Sri Lanka in mid-February, as well as the recent efforts of both men to bring about the declaration of the 48-hour ceasefire by the Sri Lankan Government on 12 April. I note also that the Secretary General's Chef de Cabinet, Vijay Nambiar, visited Colombo last week.
Together with our partners in the EU, Ireland has welcomed the temporary ceasefire but has called for it to be extended in order to facilitate humanitarian operations in the affected parts of the country and to ensure the physical safety of all civilians. In this respect, we welcome the commitment given by the Secretary General that the UN will do everything it can to help improve the grave predicament of civilians in the conflict zone.
