Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State. I will get the simple questions out of the way and then ask the more substantive questions. I fully agree with the European Union that the new government in Albania has made huge strides in reforming the judiciary and the institutions of state. I applaud the direction in which Albania is moving.

I have previously raised the old chestnut of Bosnia and Herzegovina. I had the opportunity to raise it with the United Nations military representative at the COSAC meeting in Dublin Castle where he spoke about Bosnia and Herzegovina. He admitted in a public forum that the UN had failed the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, that it was assumed over the years that the countries would move in tandem with Serbia and Kosovo and that beautiful country, Croatia - where it is planned to locate an embassy. It was acknowledged that the UN had failed. The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is now very dangerous and volatile and there needs to be constitutional reform. Will this issue be recognised with an intensity that has been lacking to date?

I refer to the 2,500 scientists and academics meeting in the National Conference Centre in Dublin to talk about an €80 billion fund for science and research, of which it is hoped that €1 billion will come to Ireland. With that as the backdrop and applauding the European Union I wish to tease out with the Minister of State his personal views and those of the Department on our attitude towards the Ukraine. I have formed the distinct impression in the past five years at least that the EU and the West sell the EU in a very improper way in the context of the divisions which are indigenous to Ukraine, the east-west divide, the Russian-western link, Tymoshenko and the party of the regions. Is the Minister of State happy that the EU has sold the message of the benefits of EU alignment to the Ukraine, to the extent that the mission has been extended into the Russian-speaking, eastern region of Ukraine? All I ever hear in Ireland - it is probably replicated in the international media - is the name of Tymoshenko Ukraine is more than Tymoshenko it is a unitary state not a two-state nation. Given the eastern partnership and that we were all sold the line that it is nearly sure that Ukraine is over the line, I noted the palpable sense of disappointment when the talks collapsed. The Russian diplomatic corps at that stage had sent out warnings with regard to the reasons for Armenia pulling out. Ukraine subsequently gave its reasons for pulling out. The Russian form of diplomacy is extremely strong on the issue of energy resources. Is the Minister of State focusing too much on that half of Ukraine which is pro-West, and neglecting the diplomatic programme that must be carried out in the eastern region?

We have been rather dismissive of the role of Russia and we know its negative role.

For example, it has been supportive in Iran. When the Americans were going to bomb Syria over weapons of mass destruction, lo and behold the Russians came to the rescue and succeeded in implementing a policy of discussion.

I ask the Minister of State to review the role of Russian diplomacy in Europe and the world, which has often been negative in terms of influencing decisions through fear or the deprivation of resources, but which appears to be playing a more important role in greater world events. I would be interested in hearing the Minister of State's comments.

Reverting to the question of the EU as an entity, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia must be called that despite the fact we all know it as Macedonia. What progress has been made with the Greeks on what is a sensitive issue for them? Macedonia submitted its application for EU membership in 2004, making it one of the longest application periods. The name seems to be the issue delaying matters.

What is the Minister of State's brief opinion of events in Slovenia? We always suspected that it was heading towards a bailout. Today's or yesterday's The Irish Timesreinforced that suspicion. Does the Minister of State have advice? Does the Government act in a bilateral way with the likes of Slovenia, which is confronting economic difficulties? Given our experience as a nation, have we extended a hand of support to help Slovenia in its crisis?

We can attempt to solve all of the problems of the world from Macedonia to Albania, but why do we never mention issues on our own doorstep? A member of the EU, Cyprus, is a divided island. Famagusta, a major port and city in Cyprus, is lying in mothballs. Is it not time that we as Europeans began discussing a resolution to some of our own conflicts in more depth?