Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Yes, they did have questions for me. They were related to the reasons the reputation of the country had changed so radically in six months. The leaders of the eastern European states wanted to know how the Government could work with people in making difficult decisions that pointed in the right direction in getting the country back on a trajectory towards prosperity, where jobs could be created and we could again be in charge of our economic destiny. They were well aware of the changed attitude in business and politics here and the international economic commentary on Ireland. I pointed out on a couple of occasions that owing to the troika deal, there was a requirement that we raise certain moneys from the sale of State assets and they understood this.

They focused on the fact that Ireland would hold the chairmanship of the OSCE for a calendar year, with the Tánaiste performing this role. It may well be that one of the regional conflicts constantly on the brink of war - the conflict in Transnistria - will be sorted out during that period. I cannot confirm this, but it would provide a great boost. They understood, given that we had a desperate situation in the North for 30 years but which resulted in peace through the Good Friday Agreement, that the Irish chairman of the OSCE would understand that conflict and how a resolution could be brought about.

President Yanukovych gave a dissertation on the pending trial of Yulia Tymoshenko. We heard about the focus of Georgia being on its territorial integrity. There were strong reactions to the human rights issues arising in Belarus, on which the entire meeting took a strong view. They asked how and why Ireland was able to make progress in the midst of global economic turmoil and looked forward to the Tánaiste chairing the OSCE in 2012.

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