4 Márta 2014, 18:57
The Ambassador of the Ukraine to Ireland Sergii Reva comes before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade tomorrow afternoon to consider the on-going crisis in Crimea and the wider region.
4 March 2014
On Wednesday next, 12 March, the Ambassador of the Russian Federation Maxim Peshkov is scheduled to appear before the Committee.
The meetings follow detailed discussion with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore TD this evening. The exchange of views with the Tánaiste covered the European Union's response to the crisis, which was discussed at yesterday’s emergency session of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) in Brussels.
Chairman of the Committee Pat Breen TD says: “This afternoon’s meeting with the Tánaiste focussed on how a pathway might be found to diffuse this alarming crisis for the Ukraine and the wider region. The Tánaiste told the Committee that he met with the Russian Ambassador this afternoon, in which he expressed Ireland’s condemnation of his country’s actions in Crimea, as well as outlining how Russia’s interests in the area might be legitimately pursued. We were also updated on the Conclusions of yesterday’s emergency FAC, which strongly condemned the violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty by Russian armed forces. This strong condemnation was echoed across the Committee Membership during the meeting, as was the necessity to continue dialogue between the constituent parties.
“The upcoming meetings with both the Ukrainian and Russian Ambassadors will provide the Committee with the opportunity to fully inform us of this most grave situation, and what steps might be available to mitigate the crisis.”
The meeting with the Ukrainian Ambassador to Ireland takes place tomorrow Wednesday 5 March at 3:30 pm in Committee Room 1, LH 2000 and can be viewed online here.
The meeting with the Russian Ambassador to Ireland will take place next Wednesday 12 March at 2:30 pm.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
Media enquiries to:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade
Deputies:
Pat Breen, Fine Gael (Chairman)
Eric Byrne, Labour
Bernard Durkan, Fine Gael (Vice-Chairman)
Seán Crowe, Sinn Féin
Olivia Mitchell, Fine Gael
Gerald Nash, Labour
Dan Neville, Fine Gael
Brendan Smith, Fianna Fáil
Maureen O’Sullivan, Independent
Senators:
Deirdre Clune, Fine Gael
Mark Daly, Fianna Fáil
Lorraine Higgins, Labour
Michael Mullins, Fine Gael
David Norris, Independent
Jim Walsh, Fianna Fáil