Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 72: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the political situation in the Congo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7603/05]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 83: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent tragedy in the Congo that resulted in the loss of UN peacekeepers' lives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7604/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 257: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the degree to which he and his colleagues in the EU and UN are in a position to positively influence matters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; if the administration there is adjusting in accordance with democratic requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7997/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 72, 83 and 257 together.

The political situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to be characterised by slow progress towards completion of the transition process. Ireland and the European Union are maintaining their strong engagement in support of the peace process in the DRC. Recent events, however, such as the ambush on a UN MONUC patrol by armed militia in the Ituri region on 25 February, which resulted in the tragic death of nine Bangladeshi peacekeepers, has underlined the volatility of the security situation in eastern DRC and the difficulty this poses in completing the transition process.

The Government condemns the killing of the Bangladeshi peacekeepers as well as all other attacks or efforts aimed at preventing MONUC from fulfilling its important mandate. I have written on behalf of the Government to the Bangladeshi Foreign Minister to convey our deepest condolences on these brutal and senseless killings. The UN Security Council also condemned the killings as "an unacceptable outrage" in a presidential statement adopted on 2 March. I join with the UN Secretary General and the Security Council in urging that every effort be made by the transitional national government in the DRC to apprehend those responsible. In this regard, I welcome the fact that a number of the leaders of the militia judged responsible for the ambush have now been taken into custody.

The continued existence of armed militias who prey upon the local population and are unwilling to acknowledge the authority of either the UN or the transitional government in Kinshasa represents a major threat to successful implementation of the transition process in the DRC. MONUC is performing a vital role in seeking to reduce the threat posed by these militias and deserves the full support of the international community for its efforts, in conjunction with the DRC government, to establish peace and security in the troubled eastern region.

The strong action which MONUC is now taking to confront armed militias in the Ituri region is welcome. I hope the UN Security Council will address the need to deal with other armed militias, such as the ex-FAR and Interahamwe, in the Kivu region — whose existence continues to be a source of tension between the DRC and Rwanda — when it considers renewal of MONUC's mandate before the end of March. The EU has made clear its willingness to assist the UN in the reinforcement of MONUC's capabilities to enable it to carry out its essential tasks.

It is encouraging that discussions on how to secure the effective disarmament of armed militias in the eastern DRC are taking place between the governments of the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda within the framework of the Tripartite Commission which these three countries agreed to establish last October, with US facilitation. These discussions, as well as the coming into operation last month of the joint border verification mechanism between the DRC and Rwanda, complement the overall efforts to broker a regional peace and security pact within the framework of the UN and African Union sponsored Great Lakes conference, following the initial summit of the conference last November. Ireland and the EU are playing an active role in support of the Great Lakes conference which it is hoped will culminate with adoption of a regional peace and security pact at a second summit in Nairobi next November.

The transitional national government has, of course, primary responsibility for re-establishing peace and security and effectively exercising its own authority throughout the DRC. Greater efforts are called for by the DRC Government in accelerating the creation of an integrated national army and police force and making a viable start to disarming, demobilising and rehabilitating the combatants who still carry arms, estimated at between 150,000 and 300,000, if a secure environment is to be created for the holding of national elections later this year.

The EU is actively collaborating with the transitional national government in supporting the process of security sector reform in the DRC, including through establishment of an integrated police unit, IPU, in Kinshasa, while further support in training integrated army brigades and police is also under consideration. Ireland has contributed €75,000 towards the costs of establishment of the IPU. The EU also provides substantial financial support for the process of disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration, DDR, in the DRC.

The major priority for successful completion of the transition process in the DRC remains the holding of national elections later this year, as scheduled under the 2002 Sun City peace accords. A number of major legislative reforms, including drafting of a national constitution, still remain to be completed if the elections are to proceed, as scheduled, next June. There is provision under the peace accords for the elections to be deferred for up to one year, if necessary.

Substantial international support will be required for the holding of these elections which it is estimated could cost up to almost US$300 million to hold. The EU has already committed itself to provide some €85 million in electoral assistance while Ireland will also consider a possible contribution in support of the electoral process, once there is greater clarity as to the holding of the elections. A decision will also be taken closer to the elections as to whether the EU will participate in an electoral observer mission in the DRC, although nationally this is something which Ireland would strongly support.