Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1173. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on discussions he has had with representatives of other States regarding the conflicts in the Middle East and Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31479/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Since the beginning of 2015, I have discussed conflicts in the Middle East and Africa with my EU colleagues at the Foreign Affairs Council in January, February, April, May, June and July and at the Informal EU Foreign Ministers meeting in September. I also travelled to the Middle East in February, visiting Lebanon, and meeting Israeli and Palestinian politicians to discuss regional conflicts. On 26th February, I briefed the House on this visit. Conflicts in the Middle East and Africa were also discussed in the meetings I held during the visits to Ireland of the EU High Representative in January; the Chinese Government delegation in May; the United Nations Secretary General in May; the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament in June; the British Foreign Secretary in June; the Speaker of the US House of Representative in July; and the Polish Foreign Minister in July.

I have also had numerous meetings with the Ambassadors to Ireland in which political and security concerns in the Middle East and Africa were discussed.