This Seanad, the Dáil and the Irish people have a deep and abiding respect for, and commitment to, the United Nations Charter and multi-lateralism. Multi-lateralism was severely tested at the time of the Iraqi crisis and Europe developed a severe internal strife. An Irish Presidency committed to multi-lateralism can do Europe a great service. If we carry it forward to add the other part, how do we discover effective multi-lateralism, and lead from Ireland a debate in Europe about the renewal of the UN Charter? It is the charter that looked at wars between states but we live in an era where, for the most part, states are not necessarily the antagonists with which we may fear war. We must look again at this and which state in Europe could be better placed than this one, with its history of commitment to the United Nations, to begin to develop and deliver this platform? On 29 January next, we in the European Parliament will have the privilege of a visit from Kofi Annan and I will have the privilege of presenting our annual Sakharov award to recall those who fell in Baghdad in our international public service, Sergio de Mello and those others. I have invited the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs to associate the Irish Presidency with this and I hope and believe we can take moments like that as Irish Europeans to bring our values of effective multi-lateralism on to a wider stage. Without labouring the point we have a very special relationship historically and, in modern terms, economically, with the United States of America. The Irish Presidency can do Europe another service, that of making running repairs to a robust but stressed EU-US relationship. We have a way about us that some others do not have in these things and we could deploy and employ that to powerfully positive effect for a wider EU-US dialogue.