Seanad debates

Wednesday, 12 February 2003

10:30 am

Photo of Paschal MooneyPaschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

I compliment the Minister for Foreign Affairs who – for the first time as a Foreign Minister – delineated the difference between military and political neutrality. This country will make its decision in light of inspector Hans Blix's report next Friday. To use football parlance, I ask the Leader to keep her eye on the ball in terms of what is happening in the region in general.

There is a growing crisis in North Korea and a number of humanitarian issues have come to light there. The potential loss of 12 million lives in Iraq, which I hope will not happen, is already a reality in North Korea. It is a country which, in economic terms, is a basket case. The world humanitarian agencies are attempting to stem the flow of disaster and hunger in that area and there is an opportunity for the House to debate the potential crisis building in North Korea, which has threatened a nuclear strike on the American forces in the area. Perhaps this House might devote itself to debating the global issues involving Iraq and North Korea at some time of the Leader's choosing.

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