Senator Jim Walsh:

I apologise to the Tánaiste for coming in and out of the meeting but the Seanad has been busy with votes. I welcome the Tánaiste and compliment him on the positive stand he and our ambassador to the UN took regarding the arms trade treaty. I very much welcome his commitment to the ratification of that treaty. In terms of much of what is contained in his report, there are implications for the arms trade treaty vis-à-vis conflict areas and people being persecuted.

In his address the Tánaiste spoke about Tunisia, Egypt, the Middle East in general and the positive effects of the Arab Spring. Deputy Byrne alluded to the Coptic Christians in Egypt, and we have seen that on our television screens.

Right across those countries, many religious minorities have been persecuted or killed. Many have had to flee their countries. I do not get a sense that this ranks as high on our priority list as the gay issue. It should because it represents a very significant breach of human rights. Religious freedom and freedom of conscience comprise one of the fundamental human rights issues. I do not get any sense that this is being accorded the priority it should be accorded. I agree with Senator Norris. We talked about Uganda today. Members of this committee were concerned about the manner in which homosexuals are being treated there but I would like to see the same emphasis on small minority Christian communities that have been living in the Middle East for over 2,000 years.

I wish to raise the issue of Syria, particularly the need to have a negotiated agreement there. Deputy Nash raised the question of Lebanon, which is badly affected. We saw at first hand the circumstances there. I am appalled by the manner in which refugees from Syria are being disadvantaged in Lebanon and by the strain this is putting on the whole Lebanese structure. It has the potential to cause instability, which the Tánaiste recognises. The message we got from the people is that a negotiated settlement is the way to go; otherwise there will be protracted conflict within Syria, which will have a fallout effect in neighbouring countries, and particularly for Palestinians, a persecuted minority in the area.

I very much welcome the fact that the Tánaiste is encouraging the US Secretary of State John Kerry to try to do something more constructive than has been done in recent years by the United States in Israel. As rightly stated, there is a window of opportunity, but it is narrowing, as identified. Many people we meet are concerned about the potential for a two-state solution given what is happening. We have supported the right of the Palestinians to their homeland. We had religious leaders in Leinster House last week and we met them informally. One of the issues they identified was the need for progress to be made. Deputy O’Sullivan was beside me at the informal meeting. The leaders showed maps of Palestinian lands in the years 1948, 1967 and today. The area has been whittled down to very little. I respect fully that there is a need in a negotiated settlement to recognise the rights of Israel to have secure borders and to have its citizens protected. However, the latter should not continue to be an excuse for the taking of no action.

Deputy Byrne raised the Sergei Magnitsky case. At EU level, what is happening with regard to that case? It seems there is a very serious and fundamental breach of human rights. Much of what happened in resect of the case is of concern to civil society in Russia. Magnitsky was a lawyer. We talk a lot at meetings of this committee-----