Brian Cowen responds to open letter on Congo from CAWC public meeting

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report Sunday July 20, 2003 22:59 by Cork Anti-War Campaign corkantiwar at hotmail dot com

Following the Cork Anti-War Campaign public meeting on the Congo on 26 June, Dan Boyle TD put the following parliamentary question to Brian Cowen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and received the answer reproduced below. CAWC has sent a separate letter also to the minister asking him to personally visit the Ituri region, and we await a response.

Question 124 (for written response on 3 July 2003)

DAN BOYLE TD: "To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the way in which his Department will respond subsequent to a recent public meeting held in Cork, to a call on the Government to ensure that the Democratic Republic of the Congo is given priority on its foreign affairs agenda, to use its significant influence with the Governments of Uganda and Rwanda, and other African countries, to insist that they engage positively with negotiations and efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict in the Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to ensure that this country remains on the international agenda, particularly through the presidency of Ireland of the European Union in 2004".

REPLY FROM MINISTER COWEN: "On a number of occasions recently, I have conveyed the deep concern of this Government about the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). I can assure the Deputy that a lasting resolution to the conflict in the country will continue to be an important aim of this Government, particularly during our Presidency of the EU next year. The situation in the town of Bunia has stabilised with the deployment of the EU-led Operation Artemis, to which Ireland will contribute four army officers based at Operational and Force Headquarters. I welcome the news that agreement has been reached in Kinshasa on an interim Government to lead the country to elections. However, I am extremely concerned at the movement of rebel troops in the North Kivu area of eastern DRC, and its potential to further destabilise the area."

"Ireland has always sought to highlight the very grave problems of the DRC at international fora. During our membership of the UN Security Council we took part in a Security Council mission to the Great Lakes region in 2001 and to the DRC in 2002 and we were strong advocates of the inter-Congolese dialogue, to which we contributed E127,000. We have used bilateral meetings with southern African countries to discuss ways in which regional and international pressure can be used to push for peace in the DRC. As a development partner, we have conveyed to the Ugandan Government on a number of occasions our concern at their involvement in the DRC and our view that full implementation of the Lusaka Agreement by all parties is the most viable solution to the conflict. We have also made our views known to the Government of Rwanda and other African countries who have been involved in the conflict in the DRC."

"The EU has also been active on the issue of peace for the DRC. Last week the Presidency issued a strong declaration on the situation in the East of the DRC, in particular calling on the rebel RCD group to desist from troop movements in the North Kivu area and calling on the Governments of the DRC, Uganda and Rwanda to refrain from any action which may destabilise the peace process. The EU has recently demarched the Governments of the DRC, Uganda and Rwanda about the situation in the Ituri region, expressing our grave concern at human rights violations being perpetrated by armed groups there and calling on them to use their influence with these armed groups to reduce tensions in the area."

"The situation in the DRC is an ongoing item on the agenda of the UN Security Council and will continue to be for some time to come. Ireland will be active during our Presidency in 2004 and in the lead up to it in ensuring that the situation in the DRC also remains high up on the EU agenda."

REPLY ENDS