Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 265: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the embargo on the sale of arms by the EU to other countries; and the countries to which this embargo applies. [30178/04]

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 267: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the future proposals for the lifting of the embargo on the sale of arms by the EU; the criteria that he would promote in assessing if this embargo should be lifted for particular countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30180/04]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 267 together.

Sanctions or restrictive measures, including arms embargoes, are used by the European Union as a policy instrument, either as autonomous EU sanctions or in implementing certain resolutions of the UN Security Council. As a coercive non-military instrument, sanctions are generally employed to react to violations of international law, violations of human rights and policies that do not respect the rule of law and democratic principles.

EU arms embargoes are in place against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burma-Myanmar, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire, Iraq, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan and Zimbabwe. This list is publicly available on the EU's official website. The EU revises its list of sanctions and other restrictive measures against third countries, including arms embargoes, on a case by case basis, when it judges it appropriate to do so. In such cases, the EU takes into consideration all developments in a particular country since the arms embargo was imposed and decides whether these would warrant the lifting of sanctions against that country.

For example, the General Affairs and External Relations Council, on 11 October 2004, took the decision to lift the EU arms embargo against Libya, which had been in place since 1986. In that context, the Council took into particular consideration Libya's announcement on 19 December 2003 that it would dismantle weapons of mass destruction programmes and the settlement reached in Tripoli on 3 September 2004 on compensation for dependants of victims of the 1986 Berlin discothèque attack. The Council saw these developments as further proof of Libya's readiness to change its past policies and of its commitment to responsible government. The question of whether to lift the EU arms embargo against China is under consideration within the EU. In this regard, I draw the Deputy's attention to my written reply of 19 October to Question No. 211.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the EU Council of Ministers and the European Commission discussed the embargo on the sale of arms to Libya; if it was agreed to lift this embargo; the date this decision came into effect; and the position adopted by him on this important issue. [30179/04]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The General Affairs and External Relations Council discussed the issue of the EU embargo on arms sales to Libya at its meeting on 11 October, and decided to lift the embargo. Ireland agreed with our partners that it was important to recognise Libya's decision to dismantle its weapons of mass destruction programmes and its agreement to compensate victims of a number of terrorist attacks in which Libya had been implicated. The EU arms embargo came to an end on 14 October. Arms sales to Libya continue to be covered by the EU code of practice on arms sales.