Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 153: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he has taken to ensure that the political and national rights of the Kurdish people are vindicated and defended in the various states which encompass Kurdistan at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8170/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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There are significant Kurdish minority populations in Turkey, Iraq and Iran, and a smaller population in parts of Syria. There are 15 million people of Kurdish ethnic origin living in Turkey, mostly in the south east of the country. The Government's concerns about the human rights situation in Turkey, including the situation of people of Kurdish origin are raised on a regular basis in our contacts with the Turkish Government. Most recently, I raised our concerns about the human rights situation in Turkey at my meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Gul on the margins of the UN General Assembly last September and with Turkey's Chief European Union Negotiator, State Minister Babaçan, during his visit to Ireland on 2 November. In recent years Turkey has made significant progress in the adoption of wide-ranging political and legal reforms. Important human rights reforms have been introduced and legislation enacted aimed at strengthening the enforcement of human rights, including the cultural rights of all citizens including those of Kurdish origin. In this context, I welcome the beginning of broadcasting in the Kurdish language.

The security situation in the South–East of the country, which had gradually improved since 1999, has again become increasingly difficult in the last year. This follows the resumption of violence by the PKK, a Kurdish organisation that appears on the EU list of terrorist organisations. This led to violent clashes with the security forces in March 2006, which resulted in casualties including, very regrettably, civilian deaths. There are also suggestions that the group was involved in a series of bombings which took place in August 2006, where civilians, including foreign tourists were targeted. We continue to closely monitor developments in the region through our Embassy in Ankara, and in cooperation with our EU partners.

In Iraq, the de facto autonomy of the Kurdish region since the mid 1990s has been confirmed and strengthened following the end of the regime of Saddam Hussein. The two main Kurdish parties are key members of the broad coalition that makes up the Iraqi Government. The President of Iraq is the Kurdish leader Jalal Talibani. The new Iraqi Constitution, adopted by popular vote in October 2005, recognises Kurds as one of the component peoples of Iraq, and provides for the exercise of a large degree of autonomy by the three Kurdish provinces, acting together as a Kurdish region. There is reason to hope that this settlement, if it can survive the serious violence threatening to destabilise Iraq, can provide a long-term solution to the issue of the rights and aspirations of Kurds within Iraq.

The Government are not aware of any serious discrimination against Kurdish people in Iran specifically on the basis of their ethnic origin. However, the conservative regime which has come to power in Iran in recent years shows much less tolerance than its reformist predecessor for expressions of identity by Iran's many ethnic minorities, and this has led to violent incidents and arrests in a number of provincial cities, including in Kurdish areas. In addition, the overall human rights situation in Iran continues to be a matter of concern, and Ireland co-sponsored a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly last December, which expressed serious concern at the continuing violations of human rights in Iran. Among a number of recommendations, the resolution called upon the Government of Iran to eliminate all forms of discrimination based on religious grounds or against persons belonging to minorities.

Regrettably, there has been a continual worsening of the human rights situation in Iran in recent years. The EU's human rights dialogue with Iran, through which we sought constructively to encourage improvements, has fallen into abeyance due to Iran's refusal to agree to further meetings. We will continue to monitor the human rights situation in Iran, including the situation of the Kurdish minority, through our Embassy in Tehran and in cooperation with our EU partners.