John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 240: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the fact that a majority of Deputies have signed a letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan calling on him to instigate a review of the UN's actions the now thoroughly discredited Act of Free Choice in West Papua, he will take the initiative and publicly support the call for a review both for the credibility of the United Nations and to start to right a grievous injustice to the West Papuan people. [10111/04]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that 88 Deputies, from all parties, have signed this letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations, supporting a call for the United Nations to review its role in the Act of Free Choice in Papua in 1969. At the April 2003 meeting of the EU External Relations Council, Ireland, together with our EU partners, adopted revised Council Conclusions on Indonesia, confirming the EU's support for the territorial integrity of Indonesia.

The European Union welcomes the progress Indonesia has made in its democratic reform process and recognises the importance of the 2004 elections. The EU notes the Indonesian Government has taken steps to punish members of the security forces responsible for human rights violations. While acknowledging Indonesia's legitimate concern to preserve its territorial integrity, we encourage the Government to strengthen its efforts to protect human rights and put an end to human rights violations occurring in particular in Aceh and Papua, such as extrajudicial executions, disappearances and torture. Indonesia should take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of civilians, human rights defenders, humanitarian workers and political activists.

I will meet the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Mr. Wirajuda, at an EU ministerial meeting in troika format, to be held in the margins of the ASEM Foreign Ministers' meeting, which I will host in Kildare from 17-18 April 2004. Among the matters to be discussed at this meeting with Foreign Minister Wirajuda will be the situation in Papua. This will be an opportunity for the EU to express its concerns about the situation there.

As I have stated previously, the question of a review of the UN's conduct in relation to the Act of Free Choice in Papua, would require the support of UN member states. Inquiries, made at my request by our Permanent Representative to the UN, confirm that, at present, there is no significant support for such an initiative. There is, moreover, concern that such an approach might prejudice on-going efforts to initiate a meaningful dialogue with the Government in Jakarta, and would not contribute to the amelioration of the current situation of the Papuan people.

Officials of my Department continue to meet regularly with representatives of the West Papua Action Group. On 25 March, they met with Mr. John Rumbiak, a human rights advocate of the Papua-based Institute for Human Rights Study and Advocacy, ELSHAM, Mr. Viktor Kaisiepo, the European Spokesperson, Papua Presidium Council, PDP, and Dr. John Otto Ondawame, of the West Papua People's Representative Office, who briefed them on the campaign. The Government continues to monitor closely the situation in Papua, and encourages the authorities in Indonesia to act with full regard to the interests of the people of Papua.

Ireland, together with our EU partners, will continue to support the development of a strengthened partnership and effective dialogue between the EU and Indonesia. The Government, at this time, sees this as the framework that is most likely to be effective for addressing our serious concerns about the situation in Papua.