Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The questions covered considerable ground. On the eastern partnership, we had hoped to be able to sign the association agreement with Ukraine at the Vilnius summit and work was progressing to that end. There have been ongoing discussions about the requirement to meet the conditions necessary for signature. One of the key issues was the issue of what is known as selective justice, at the centre of which were the circumstances surrounding Ms Yulia Tymoshenko. A process initiated by the European Parliament was under way in which former Irish MEP, Pat Cox, and former Polish Prime Minister, Aleksander Kwaśniewski, were leading discussions which it was hoped would lead to a resolution of that problem. In the event, it was taken out of the hands of the European Union states because Ukraine decided it would not, at this stage, proceed with the signature of the association agreement.

I hope that position will change. In terms of Russia's relationship with the European Union, the association agreement with all six Eastern Partnership countries, is not only of mutual benefit to the six countries concerned and the European Union but in Russia's interest. It would strengthen the relationship between the European Union and Russia at a number of levels. This is one of the issues we will discuss with Foreign Minister Lavrov at the next Foreign Affairs Council. It is intended that the EU-Russia summit, scheduled for the end of January, will go ahead. All the preparatory work is being done.

I am addressing the issues sequentially. Deputies Brendan Smith, Seán Crowe, Maureen O'Sullivan and the Chairman raised issues pertaining to Syria. We have put great emphasis in our discussions at the Foreign Affairs Council and elsewhere on the humanitarian side of the Syrian crisis. The chemical weapons issue is in the process of being resolved. We need to reflect that the chemical weapons issue had the potential to generate further conflict in Syrian. There was much talk of military intervention in the middle of August. A date has been set for the Geneva II talks. I understand there is a degree of pessimism about the Geneva II talks but it is the only show in town in relation to the participation of Kurdish people. Both Special Representative Brahimi and UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, have urged the coalition to work together and to form a united delegation at the Geneva II talks. It is ultimately for each element of the opposition to decide on their approach to Geneva II but a divided opposition is likely to make reaching agreement more difficult. I think the urgent issue is that of the humanitarian access. The UN President's statement in October is not being complied with on the ground. That is why we support and have called for a UN Security Council resolution which would be binding and would allow for humanitarian access. We got a briefing on the situation from Commissioner Georgieva who has responsibility from an EU point of view for the humanitarian contribution that the European Union is making. The European Union's contribution and that of the member states is by some distance the largest contribution to the humanitarian effort in Syria but, of course, the big burden is being borne by the neighbouring countries of Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. At the December Council I expect we will be back discussing the humanitarian issue as well.

As I said in my opening statement, the discussion under way on the Middle East peace process is probably the last opportunity to conclude a settlement based on the two-state solution. The continuing announcement of settlements is undermining the process. It is physically undermining it on the ground because the more settlements that are built the harder it will be from a geographic point of view to have two states and, of course, is undermining the talks process. However, internationally we have to encourage both the Israeli and the Palestinian side to remain committed to the talks and to try to get a resolution.

I answered a question recently in which I confirmed that we are funders of the UN administered common humanitarian fund for the Central African Republic. For a number of years Ireland and Sweden are the two member states that have supported this fund. We contributed more than €2 million since 2009.

A number of issues arise in regard to Iran. It is important to recognise that progress is being made. The E3+3 talks had been stalled for a long period. I pay tribute, in particular, to the persistence of Catherine Ashton who has done a fabulous job in taking on the Iran issue when nobody else would touch it and has stayed with it. I pay tribute to the progress she has made on the issue. I can understand Israeli concerns in relation to Iran's stated intentions with regard to the nuclear issue but there is no alternative to negotiations. With respect, I regard Prime Minister Netanyahu's assessment as hard to reconcile with the realities of the deal. What we have to do now is build on it.

On the question of the Philippines, we have been contributing to the humanitarian effort. It was not a major item for discussion at the last Foreign Affairs Council. Clearly there were references to it because, obviously, it was very much in the news at the time. Other European Union states are mobilising to support it.

In regard to Myanmar-Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi attended the October meeting where a good discussion took place with her on the position. On the occasion of her visit to Dublin to receive the freedom of the city of Dublin I had a very good meeting with her when we discussed the development of bilateral relations. Following that meeting we reactivated our diplomatic relations with Myanmar-Burma and assigned the ambassador in Vietnam to be ambassador to Myanmar-Burma. A scoping visit by officials from my Department has taken place and we are building on that. I think that covers all the points.