Seanad debates

Wednesday, 26 February 2003

Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements.

 

With regard to the approach to sustainable development in Europe and the issue of peace, I cannot quite grasp how these matters will be dealt with. I share Senator Ormonde's concern in relation to the problems of vocabulary and understanding. Perhaps it is just the teacher in me but there is a great need to clarify certain issues, starting with sovereignty and neutrality. Irish people must recognise that when we joined the United Nations, we were no longer neutral. We take a political position on issues and there is a political neutrality which we share within the United Nations. Military neutrality is a different matter, in terms of taking military action in support of some objective. Moral neutrality is yet another concept; morally neutral countries are hardly a model we would ever pursue, in the sense of not having a view on the most corrupt regimes in the world. That debate on the whole issue of neutrality has not yet taken place and it must.

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