Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 306: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland will comply with the Geneva Convention obligations by respecting and ensuring respect for international law and preventing the Israeli military from landing here; and the reason two Israeli Air Force 707 aircraft carrying military personnel were allowed to land at Shannon on 5 May 2006. [19143/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am satisfied that Ireland complies fully with its obligations under the Geneva Conventions.

Having considered the issues involved, and having — in accordance with standard practice- consulted with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Department of Foreign Affairs acceded to Israel's request for permission for two Boeing 707 aircraft operated by the Israeli Air Force to land at Shannon Airport on 5 May. The practice of permitting landings by foreign military aircraft at Irish airports, subject to certain conditions, has been in place for more than fifty years.

Landing permission for the two aircraft in question was granted subject to the normal conditions that apply to landings at Irish airports by foreign military aircraft; namely that the aircraft would be unarmed, would carry no arms, ammunition or explosives, would not engage in intelligence gathering, and that the flights in question would not form any part of military exercises or operations.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 307: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the oil field in Lanimor belongs to East Timor under international law; and if he will raise this matter with Mr. John Howard, the Australian Prime Minister and Mr Alexander Downer, the Australian Foreign Minster. [19071/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that there has not been any adjudication under international law with regard to the Laminaria oil field referred to in the Deputy's question. Timor Leste, or East Timor as it was formerly known, and Australia make overlapping claims to parts of the continental shelf in the Timor Sea, an area understood to contain large reserves of oil and gas.

Under the terms of a bilateral Treaty on Certain Maritime Arrangements in the Timor Sea, signed by the Foreign Ministers of Australia and Timor Leste in January of this year, the two sides agreed to set aside their maritime boundary negotiations for fifty years and to share the resources of what is referred to as the Greater Sunrise field (formerly known as the Sunrise and Troubadour fields which had also been previously claimed by both countries) on a 50:50 basis. The agreement, which has yet to be ratified by the Parliaments in both countries, would also allow Australia to continue to conduct activities in relation to petroleum or other resources of the seabed and subsoil in respect of Laminaria and other remaining contested oil fields.

Prior to this agreement, Australia and Timor Leste concluded the Timor Sea Treaty in May 2002, which accords to Timor Leste 90% of the revenue from a "joint development area" in the Timor Sea. I understand that the Laminaria field, together with the Buffalo and Corallina fields, lie to the west of the Joint Petroleum Development Area (JPDA) as defined under the Timor Sea Treaty. This Treaty came into force on 2 April 2003.

It would not be appropriate for this issue to be raised with the Australian Prime Minister or Foreign Minister in the terms suggested by the question. However, Timor Leste was on the agenda for the official talks I held yesterday with Prime Minister Howard during his visit to Ireland. We had an exchange of views on the situation in Timor Leste during which I referred to Ireland's long-standing commitment to the country's political and socio-economic development.