Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

If it emerges that agreement on a European treaty is possible before the European Parliament elections, will a special summit meeting be called? The Taoiseach is scheduled to address the European Parliament tomorrow morning. How will he justify his decision as EU President to restore diplomatic relations with Burma last month? Is it not disgraceful to give respectability to an unreconstructed military dictatorship? Is he aware, for example, that the European Parliament, which he will address tomorrow, has adopted a resolution condemning this decision? Part of that resolution reads:

... Insists that Burma should not attend the ASEM meeting scheduled for April 2004 in the Republic of Ireland, and that Burma should not become a member of ASEM until irreversible political change towards democracy takes place in that country ... Regrets that the Government of the Republic of Ireland decided to establish diplomatic relations on a non-resident basis with Burma on 10 February 2004 almost at the start of its tenure of the Council Presidency ...

Will the Taoiseach explain why Ambassador Mulhall is now associated with Rangoon? Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi was given the freedom of Dublin city. Why was the decision taken to establish diplomatic relations and how does the Taoiseach intend to justify it to the European Parliament tomorrow?

What is his view, as President of the European Union, on the bombing of the leader of Hamas on the orders of Prime Minister Sharon? Condemnation of this event has been vetoed at the UN. Does the Taoiseach share my view that, based on experience of what happened with the Berlin Wall, the building of the wall by Israel across sections of the Gaza Strip will not resolve anybody's problems? Does he agree that this matter is the root cause of the creation of an alibi for terrorism in surrounding countries in the Middle East? The Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the Taoiseach's instructions, has been dealing with this matter. However, for the remainder of the Presidency, the Taoiseach could show effective leadership by attempting to bring about some sense of normality and achieve a conclusion in respect of this matter, otherwise it will merely drag on.

See this speech in context