Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

These matters are worthy of consideration at any time.

In respect of Deputy Ó Caoláin's question, I do not have plans to visit Palestine in the immediate future. I have been there on a number of occasions in other capacities. The EU has a common foreign and security policy and the Presidency of the Union usually takes on the role of keeping the Union abreast of developments or, more to the point, the lack of developments in the Middle East and regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state, which we very much support. I met President Abbas when he visited this country recently so I had the opportunity to be personally briefed on the up-to-date position. I had also met him in his capacity as prime minister when I visited Gaza and the West Bank in the past.

With regard to human rights in China, I did not make a general reference to the matter. The meeting was primarily on an agenda on economic issues that had been set at the request of the Chinese, who were about to begin the ASEM summit. However, I made a general reference in my reply to the importance of the development of human rights. I believe it is only through encouragement and respectful dialogue that one can acquire a standing on this issue which might be influential in a positive way. We will continue at all times to encourage the Chinese Government along the path upon which it has embarked in this area as in others.

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