Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the diplomatic contacts he or his Department have had with Nepal; the situation in that country; his views on reported developments there; the assistance he will give; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13102/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has been closely monitoring the situation in Nepal. Regrettably, the political crisis there seems to be intensifying. While we have not had any recent direct bilateral contacts with the Nepalese Government, we have been active within the EU framework and have contributed to discussions in relevant working groups.

On 27 January, the EU issued a declaration which called upon the King, the Government of Nepal and the security forces to restore immediately all civil and political liberties, immediately release all political prisoners and human rights defenders, and ensure that political and civil rights, including freedom of assembly and freedom of speech could be exercised peacefully. It strongly condemned the use of force to suppress the Nepalese people's exercise of fundamental rights, while also strongly condemning the resumption of Maoist violence. It also reiterated that what Nepal and its people urgently needed was a cessation of armed hostilities as a first step in an inclusive and comprehensive peace process.

We have been concerned by the large number of arrests in Nepal in recent months, including that in January of Krishna Pahadi who attended the Front Line Platform late last year which I had the pleasure of addressing. We ensured that our concern at this and other arrests was included in an EU démarche to the Nepalese authorities which took place on 1 February. In the course of the démarche, the EU side made special reference to detained political leaders and human rights defenders, calling for their immediate release. We have also proposed that the EU might look at providing further support for the work of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Kathmandu. In 2005, Ireland made a voluntary contribution of €200,000 to this office.

On 16 February, the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, met in Dublin with Dr. Arju n Karki, President of the NGO Federation of Nepal and co-ordinator of the South Asian Alliance for Poverty Eradication, who provided a first-hand account of the situation on the ground in Nepal. Dr. Karki was assured that Ireland was closely following developments in Nepal.

A further EU discussion on the situation in Nepal is due to take place tomorrow when the most recent political developments and their implications for EU policy will be examined. Together with our EU partners, we will continue to closely monitor the situation in Nepal and will urge all sides to pursue a peaceful, political solution and to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms.