Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to update the committee on discussions at the Foreign Affairs Council in recent months. The Council has a busy agenda and considered a wide range of issues at its meetings in October and November. There continues to be a sharp focus on the conflict in Syria, in light of the continuing deterioration in the situation on the ground there, and the spillover effects on the wider region. More recently, we have had involved discussions on the escalating violence in Gaza. On the Middle East peace process, we have noted with concern the absence of any progress on the resumption of direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Questions are being raised increasingly about the viability of a two-state solution in light of the steady expansion of Israeli settlements within the Occupied Palestinian Territory. I propose to address these issues first, and then to update the committee briefly on the other main topics which have featured in our discussions at recent meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council or which we expect to address at our next meeting in December.

I will start with the situation in Gaza and the Middle East peace process. The escalating violence and conflict in Gaza and southern Israel was the major issue on our agenda at this week's Council meeting. More than 100 people in Gaza, many of them women and children, have been killed since the eruption of the crisis. Five Israelis have also been killed as a result of rocket fire from Gaza during the same period. Urgent international efforts are under way to bring the hostilities to an end and to implement an immediate ceasefire. The Egyptian Government has been chairing important mediation talks in Cairo.

The Council agreed this week that the absolute priority is to secure an end to the violence and the suffering being caused to innocent civilians. I fully support the international mediation efforts which are under way and I commend Egypt and other regional players such as Turkey and Qatar on their efforts. The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, is currently visiting the region and hopefully can lend his considerable experience and stature to the search for a full cessation of hostilities.

However bad the current situation in Gaza is, it would be made infinitely worse if Israel were to proceed to launch a ground offensive. Such a step would be disastrous, not just for the people of Gaza but for the entire region. This latest bloody and tragic escalation of conflict only serves to highlight how little progress there has been in addressing the real problems in Gaza since the end of Operation Cast Lead almost four years ago. The international community must renew its efforts to persuade Israel to end its unjust and counterproductive blockade of Gaza.

However, just as Palestinians in Gaza are entitled to live in peace and security, so too are the people of Israel. There must, therefore, be a complete end to the utterly unacceptable rocket attacks which have been launched from Gaza against southern Israel and now, indeed, the entire country. All sides to this conflict, as was emphasised in this week's Council conclusions, must fully respect international humanitarian law.

Ultimately, the problems afflicting Gaza will only really be resolved in the context of progress towards a resumption of peace negotiations and the achievement of a comprehensive two-state solution. Our conclusions this week clearly recognised this and the importance of sustained EU engagement in the search for peace.

In this regard, the Council considered this week, as it did also at its meeting last month, the resolution seeking observer state status at the UN which the Palestinians plan to table later this month. A draft resolution to this effect has been circulated in New York. I have indicated, including in my address to the UN General Assembly last September, that Ireland would be willing to support a resolution which was reasonable and balanced and which recognised clearly the need to restart political negotiations aimed at a final and comprehensive peace agreement. I reiterated this position in my consultations with EU colleagues this week. Given the EU's long-standing support for Palestinian statehood, I do not believe that it would be credible to attempt to persuade the Palestinians to delay action, as some have been suggesting, on the very modest step forward which they are seeking at the UN.

Consultations will continue among member states over the coming days to see whether it is possible for the EU to reach a common position on this issue. Realistically, however, there is little prospect of all 27 agreeing to vote in favour of the resolution. A common position of abstention would, in my view and in that of several other member states, raise serious issues of credibility and relevance for the EU and would be very damaging to the Union's reputation both in the region and further afield.

We devoted much time this week, and also at earlier meetings, to the steadily worsening conflict in Syria. Hundreds of people continue to be killed in Syria every week, and a major humanitarian emergency is looming there with the onset of winter. In the words of Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN and Arab League's joint special representative for this conflict, Syria now faces a stark choice: either there is a political settlement of some sort or it risks becoming a failed state. While the chances of early political progress remain slim, the special representative is pursuing all options, including that of building on elements of the agreement reached in Geneva last June.

There has, however, been one positive development. Agreement was reached in Doha earlier this month on the creation of a new umbrella opposition grouping called the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces. The establishment of a unified, democratic opposition, comprising both internal and external opponents of the regime, has long been sought by the international community. It is to be hoped that this new group will succeed in bringing together all strands of opposition opinion. A number of EU partners have moved to recognise it as the sole legitimate representatives of the Syrian people. However, Ireland and most other EU member states believe more time is needed before according formal recognition to a body which has only just been established and about which relatively little is known as yet.

Concerns over Iran's nuclear programme also continue to feature heavily on the Council's agenda. Last month we adopted a further package of sanctions, mostly centred on the financial sector and aimed at persuading Iran to engage seriously in the process of negotiations with the E3+3. Now that the US election is out of the way, High Representative Ashton will endeavour, on behalf of the E3+3, to organise a new round of negotiations with Iran. There is, in my view, no alternative to diplomatic means for resolving this issue.

Africa is a high priority for Ireland and I welcome the attention that African issues are receiving at present in the Foreign Affairs Council. At both the October and November Councils, we discussed the crisis in the Sahel region of north-western Africa and in particular the crisis in Mali. The EU has an important contribution to make to the resolution of this crisis, which poses major threats and risks for the region as a whole and, indeed, for Europe. We are pressing the Malian parties to agree a political roadmap which would facilitate a return to constitutional governance. When that roadmap is in place, the EU will resume bilateral development co-operation funding to support Mali's economy.

Plans are being made for a military force with ECOWAS and African Union involvement which would help the Malian authorities to re-establish law and order throughout the country. The High Representative and the External Action Service are also planning for a possible EU CSDP mission to train the Malian army.

As regards next steps, ECOWAS has agreed a concept of operations for military deployment and this has been approved by the African Union. This will now be considered by the UN Security Council with a view to the passing of a resolution in the coming weeks. Such a resolution is essential before any deployment can take place and it should also provide a framework for the proposed EU CSDP mission. The European Union will also continue to play a central role in responding to the humanitarian needs of civilians and displaced people in Mali and neighbouring countries.

As the Chairman stated, the committee discussed the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo earlier this afternoon. The crisis in the eastern region of that country was discussed by Ministers at the Council's meeting this week. We issued comprehensive conclusions in which we condemned the activities of the so-called M23 group which is responsible for the latest upsurge in violence. We are calling for an end to all violence, including rape and sexual violence, human rights abuses and the use of child soldiers by all armed groups. The European Union is supporting the efforts of the DRC Government to reform the armed forces and to achieve peace and stability throughout the entire country. I placed particular emphasis on the need for all sides to fulfil their obligations under international humanitarian law in terms of protecting the civilian population and allowing unhindered access for humanitarian agencies and aid workers.

The Foreign Affairs Council has also continued to focus on the countries in the European Union's eastern neighbourhood. The October Council considered the recent parliamentary elections in Belarus and Georgia. We welcomed the peaceful transfer of power in Georgia and the statement by prime minister designate, Mr. Ivanishvili, that Georgia will continue on the path of European integration. On Belarus, we regretted that the parliamentary elections had not been conducted in line with international standards. I should say that, as chair of the OSCE, Ireland has sought to maintain a critical dialogue with Belarus with the eventual aim of re-establishing an OSCE presence in the country.

This week we had a strategic discussion of the situation in Ukraine ahead of an anticipated further discussion next month. The key issue for the Union is how to assess the recent parliamentary elections in Ukraine. The free and fair conduct of elections is one of the three conditions that the European Union elaborated earlier this year for movement towards signature, and then ratification, of the association agreement with Ukraine. The other two conditions are addressing the selective application of justice and advancing the reform agenda. While the parliamentary elections can be assessed positively in a number of respects, there have also been a range of concerns, as the OSCE-ODIHR preliminary report brought out. It is important that these issues are addressed credibly and quickly by the Ukrainian authorities. However, I would stress that Ireland remains committed to achieving the association agreement. We have always wanted to see the European Union and Ukraine build closer ties, but the speed with which this can happen depends in large part on Ukraine.

Of course, developments in the eastern neighbourhood are heavily influenced by Russia. The European Union strategic partnership with Russia remains critical for the Union as it seeks to improve the conditions for mutual trade and investment and to advance political co-operation and, in so doing, to work towards the so-called new agreement with Russia. The European Union, for its part, must also work to ensure its political and human rights dialogues continue to address areas where our perspectives with Russia differ. European Union-Russia relations will be discussed at the December Foreign Affairs Council, FAC, in preparation for the European Union-Russia summit in Brussels in December 2012. Although there are differences between the Union and Russia over certain international issues, most notably Syria, and recent internal developments in Russia have also given grounds for concern, the scope for co-operation between the Union and Russia on the partnership and modernisation agenda remains significant. In this regard, I would like to see the discussion in the December FAC focus on practical areas where the summit can give a positive impetus.

The October Foreign Affairs Council held an exchange of views on the European Union's relations with its strategic partners, including a discussion on China in advance of a discussion at the October European Council. The outcome of the European Union-China summit meeting on 20 September formed the backdrop to the discussions. The summit, which was Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's last before he steps down as premier, reflected on the significant progress in European Union-China relations that has been achieved in the past ten years, especially in the area of trade. The European Union's main strategic objectives remain clear: first, to promote further economic ties and exchanges; and second, to encourage China to further open up its society, to be a responsible global player and to be a more responsible actor in its region. During the discussion at the recent European Council, the Taoiseach indicated Ireland's desire to develop further the European Union-China relationship during our EU Presidency. In this regard, conclusion of a European Union-China trade and investment agreement, currently under negotiation, would be significant. Since the European Council, the 18th party Congress has taken place in China. Mr. Xi Jinping, who visited Ireland in February, has been appointed General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and will take over as president in March 2013.

Over lunch at this week's Council, Foreign and Defence Ministers held a useful orientation debate on defence policy in advance of the anticipated discussions in this area at the European Council in December 2013. While we are at an early stage in this process, there is general agreement that there is a need to ensure the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy can be maintained and enhanced so that the EU can respond effectively to crises.

This week's Council also considered how best to take forward the European Union's relations with Cuba against the backdrop of recent developments there. We agreed that, while the EU's Common Position on Cuba remains the basis of our approach to relations with that country, work can begin on drafting a mandate for negotiations on a possible bilateral agreement. Ireland supports closer engagement with Cuba, while stressing the importance of Cuba's adherence to human rights. I am pleased with the outcome of the Council in this regard.

Next month's Foreign Affairs Council will see consideration of the Commission's annual enlargement strategy. As is normal practice, the General Affairs Council will adopt conclusions on European Union enlargement but the Foreign Affairs Council will have an opportunity to discuss these in advance, in so far as they relate to the Western Balkans. The adopted conclusions will shape the agenda in this area for the six months of Ireland's EU Presidency.

As the committee will be aware, Ireland has just been elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council for a three-year term which begins on 1 January 2013, the same day as we assume the Presidency of the European Union. I thank the Chairman and all the members of the committee for the support they gave to Ireland's campaign for Human Rights Council membership. The committee's support was important. In situations such as these, Government needs to work with the support of Parliament and civil society. It was tremendously encouraging to know that our candidature was firmly supported by committee and also by civil society in Ireland. This made a difference in terms of helping to consolidate our national reputation as a strong supporter of human rights globally. In electing Ireland, the membership of the United Nations General Assembly has recognised the strength of our attachment to the United Nations, our efforts to improve global human rights and our commitment to overseas development assistance through Irish Aid. Our election is something of which we can all be proud, and I thank the committee again for its support.