Beyond Convention sessions, members of the Government have also been involved in regular discussions with their counterparts in the European Union and other Convention members. In January I held talks in Lisbon with the Portuguese Minister for European Affairs and Ernani Lopes, Portugal's Convention representative. I travelled to Warsaw in January for a conference that was also attended by Convention president, Giscard d'Estaing, and had discussions with the Polish national representative and Minister for Europe, Danuta Hubner. I had further discussions in Slovenia on the Convention. Last month I travelled to Prague where I met the representatives of the Government and Parliament of the Czech Republic. I also travelled to Vienna last month where I met with Foreign Minister, Ferrero-Waldner, and Convention representative, Hannes Farnleitner. I went to Vilnius where I met Foreign Minister Valionis, the Lithuanian Convention representatives, the Lithuanian European affairs committee and the speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament. In Prague and Lithuania, both parliamentary committees with which I met asked that I pass on their particular regards and grateful thanks to the Irish people for being so supportive in the matter of European Community enlargement. They regard Ireland as a very good friend of their cause. These contacts will continue as the Convention and Intergovernmental Conference processes continue.