Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank all Senators for their contributions to this debate, begun by Senator Maurice Cummins. As he and many others pointed out, Ireland has strong links with Zimbabwe and Africa in general and we are genuinely concerned about the situation that has developed. I share the high level of concern articulated by all Members of this House.

I reiterate the Government's utter condemnation of the violence and intimidation which characterised last week's run-off election and the lead-up to it, as well as the illegitimate reinauguration of Mr. Mugabe as President. Our thoughts are with the people of Zimbabwe — those who have been brutally terrorised and injured, those who have lost their lives and those who have lost their homes and possessions in the ongoing violence.

We know that many of our African partners share our concern and outrage. We believe that African citizens deserve and demand the same standards of human rights protection and democratic accountability which we expect. All three election observer missions from the African Union, the Southern African Development Community and the Pan-African Parliament which observed last Friday's run-off poll concluded that the election was neither free, fair nor credible and argued that it did not allow for the expression of the will of the people of Zimbabwe. These findings stand as an international indictment of the regime of Mr. Robert Mugabe.

I am encouraged by reports today from Sharm el-Sheikh that efforts to promote a negotiated process are under way. This, in our view, would represent a step in the right direction following yesterday's call by South Africa for talks between the Mugabe regime and the MDC. As I said earlier, however, any such talks must be credible, substantive, time limited and based on the outcome of the election of 29 March.

With regard to various comments on my reference to the efforts of President Mbeki of South Africa, I am very much taken by what Senator Feargal Quinn said. We must keep our heads as we move through this crisis in terms of ensuring a regional solution is found. We are all, understandably, very frustrated. People are despairing of the apparent impotence of the international community to stop a tyrant like Robert Mugabe in his tracks. However, there is a way to try to resolve this and the United Nations Security Council resolution of last week is significant in terms of the unanimity displayed and the nature of the actual resolution. I take on board Senator Quinn's comments and welcome what he has said in terms of the importance of us positioning ourselves strategically and endeavouring to empower and support the regional powers, including South Africa, no matter how disappointed we might be with the lack of progress to date. We must keep at this, both through the European Union and the United Nations.

While we work through the European Union and United Nations, we are also, as a country in our own right, pursuing the issues with our regional partners. Through Irish Aid we have significant respect in Africa. We have made a very significant contribution to the development of Africa and, as Senator Alex White said, not just in terms of aid but also rule of law missions. Senators O'Malley and Ormonde also alluded to such missions and to the fact the modern Irish contribution is very much focused on trying to assist in the establishment of good governance systems through rule of law missions and assistance to legal and judicial systems. Clearly, from what Senator Alex White has said, there is a clear need for such work in Zimbabwe.

Our ambassador to South Africa has put a great deal of effort into visiting Zimbabwe on a regular basis, which he has found very helpful. His contacts with the Irish community in Zimbabwe, of which there are approximately 2,000 citizens, some of whom are very vulnerable, have been very helpful in terms of giving him a sense of developments on the ground there. Such contacts will continue.

We would support any measures the United Nations would put in place regarding an arms embargo. Indeed, various reports are circulating as to who is doing what, but we would support any efforts to identify those supplying arms and call on them to desist from doing so. We would be willing to use every power we have internationally in that regard.

Senator Shane Ross asked whether Robert Mugabe is a puppet or the person pulling the strings. There are various reports on that issue, some of which hold that the chiefs of the army, the central intelligence office and the police are jockeying for position within the regime and it is they who are keeping Mugabe in power. On the other hand, many of those who are guilty of pursuing and perpetrating the acts of violence that have been committed are mindful of the fact that they potentially face their day of judgment in the International Criminal Court in the context of an international approach to who is responsible for this state-sponsored violence and are perhaps aware of what is in store down the line. In scenarios like this, there is inevitably a group or cohort which believes that it is better to hang in there as opposed to seeing the writing on the wall.

From our perspective, this is a very dark hour for Zimbabwe. It is difficult at this point in time to be optimistic about the future. We admire the courage shown by many ordinary Zimbabweans in terms of the election of 29 March when they went out to vote and exercised their democratic rights. That resoluteness in the most difficult of circumstances must be admired and gives one some sense of hope for the future.

I believe the Zimbabewean nation and people have the resilience to resume the path towards development once the rule of law is restored and responsible economic policies are put in place to replace the destructiveness of the Mugabe regime. I know all Members of the House will agree with me that we stand ready as a nation to support the reconstruction of Zimbabwe, to which we have already committed significant aid this year and in previous years, once the conditions are right, and we would facilitate additional aid in terms of supporting any programme to rebuild that country, particularly to ensure that the vital necessities of life are made available to the people of Zimbabwe over the coming months and years.

I thank all of the Senators. I am mindful of the individual stories articulated by people here, including Senator Daly who spoke about friends of his uncle, which gives a very personal dimension to the connections people have with Zimbabwe. I appreciate the contribution Members have made which will help us. I assure Senator Norris that we will stand firm. We have been very firm in terms of the fundamental principles we have articulated from the outset in respect of this issue and its resolution and we intend to continue that.