Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 320: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will list those members of the United Nations with whom Ireland does not have diplomatic relations; if he has discouraged any of those countries from establishing diplomatic relations on a resident basis; if he has discouraged any of those countries from establishing diplomatic relations on a non-resident basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13848/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There are 192 members of the United Nations. Of these, Ireland does not have diplomatic relations with the following 25 countries:

Benin

Bhutan

Cape Verde

Central African Republic

Comoros

Dominican Republic

Equatorial Guinea

Gabon

Grenada

Guinea

Haiti

Madagascar

Mali

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Saint Kitts & Nevis

Saint Vincent & the Grenadines

Sao Tome & Principe

Solomon Islands

Somalia

Suriname

Swaziland

Togo

Tonga

Turkmenistan

My Department is currently processing requests from three of the above countries to establish diplomatic relations with Ireland for the first time. The question of my discouraging any of these 25 countries from establishing diplomatic relations on a residential or non-residential basis does not arise. Indeed, the normal practice is for the Government to accede to requests to establish diplomatic relations and to accredit an Ambassador on either a resident or non-resident basis, irrespective of whether an Irish Ambassador is accredited to the particular country concerned.

As the Deputy is aware, in the case of Burma, the Government has made it clear to the Burmese authorities that no steps will be taken to accredit their Ambassador in London on a non-residential basis, until a number of developments in that country have taken place, in particular the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.