asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government propose to recognise Bangla Desh, formerly East Pakistan, as a sovereign independent state.

32.

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he will now recognise the Republic of Bangla Desh.

33.

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of recent developments, the Government has considered formal recognition of the Government of Bangla Desh.

34.

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the Government proposes to recognise the Government of Bangla Desh.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 to 34 together. As of now the Government have not taken a decision in this matter.

Can the Minister indicate when the Government will take this decision and can he indicate why there should be any delay in taking this vital decision?

I think the one answer covers both questions. We are waiting to see a settled situation there so that we can decide on whether or not to take this action.

Would the Minister not agree that it is now absolutely clear that Bangla Desh will become an independent State? Will he not further agree that it would be greatly to the advantage of Irish humanitarian workers in the area if Ireland got in her recognition before Britain does? Would he not further agree that it is foolish policy on the part of this Government in connection with this recognition to wait until Britain makes up her mind and then follow suit?

The Deputy is loading the question by saying that we are waiting until Britain does it. We do not see eye to eye with Britain, as the Deputy should know by now.

The Government move hand in glove with them.

It would be important to know that the situation in that area is settled and that there is a basic structure there before we make up our minds. We have diplomatic relations with Pakistan and this has to be taken into account too.

With what is left of Pakistan.

Question No. 35.

Is it not now clear that the Government are in firm control there and that it is highly unlikely in those circumstances that West Pakistan could reassert control after its military defeat? Will the Minister further accept that there is an obvious advantage to us, given that that State is there to stay, in securing goodwill by recognising this fact now and thereby being able to increase our influence with a view to ensuring that it does not operate in the way in which West Pakistan does as a religious State discriminating in various ways against people of a different religion? We could exercise a useful influence on the new State to ensure that it is more pluralist in its approach.

Can the Minister say if West Pakistan has broken off diplomatic relations with those countries who have recognised Bangla Desh?

It is likely that if we acted early in recognising Bangla Desh we would lose our diplomatic relations with Pakistan.

Has that happened in those other countries?

The Deputy would have to put down a question on that.

Does the Minister not know? Surely it is immediately relevant.

Would the Minister not accept that, now that almost a score of nations have given this recognition, nations whose international responsibilities are far greater than ours and nations who carry more weight at international levels than we do, he should stop the shilly-shallying he is going on with, give recognition and act on his own without any further ado?

And not wait for Britain for once.

The Deputy says that almost a score of nations have given recognition and then he asks me to act on my own. I would be following them. I will be following somebody no matter when I do it.

Let us not wait for Britain every time.

Question No. 35.

The Minister will be following the whole world soon.

Possibly, but we will make up our own minds in our own time.

They will not make up their minds.

I will not jump in. I do not go around rushing at things.

Is the Minister aware that in the election in East Pakistan the Government got 167 seats out of 169? Therefore they would seem to be the democratically elected Government. Why cannot the Minister recognise them and not wait for Great Britain to do so.

I am not arguing against recognition——

The Minister is just not giving it.

I am arguing against taking a decision until a stable situation is quite clear there.

Order.

Is it not a fact that yesterday in the House of Commons the Home Secretary, Sir Alec Douglas Home, said that he was not acting because he was waiting for concerted action by the Commonwealth countries? Was the Minister implying that we will act with the Commonwealth countries?

No. We are waiting for a clear situation. We may as well face the fact that in any situation like this there will be countries with particular political motivations who will take action regardless of the structure there, stable or otherwise. We should not jump in to follow those countries to show that we are liberal or left wing or whatever you want to pretend to be.

What are we?

I think we should wait until we can examine the structure there and then make up our minds.

I am calling Question No. 35. We cannot debate this all evening.

Would the Minister not agree that the humanitarian bodies who are helping in the great human disasters that have occurred in East Pakistan, now Bangla Desh, are concerned that Ireland's recognition should be prompt? Does the Minister not know that?

The Deputy recognised Bangla Desh last year.

I did not.

The Deputy was reported as having done so.

I did not.

I accept that.

I have called Question No. 35.

Perhaps the Minister should address a similar question to Deputy Loughnane.

I do not think he recognised it. When you try to act before you make your own examination of the structure you are following one side or the other in a philosophical war.

Is it not evident——

We cannot discuss this question all evening.

The Chair is quite right. We are wasting our time.

We have 250 questions on the Order Paper.

The Deputy is trying to prove that he is left wing but he should remember what happened the last time he did that.

Is the Minister aware that the missionary bodies are pressing for recognition? That is one of the reasons why I put down the question. What is left wing about that?

Is this on Bangla Desh?

Since there have been so many questions asked in respect of this matter, can the Minister tell us what difference it would make to Bangla Desh as to whether or not we recognise them? I am sure they are not worried particularly whether Ireland recognises them.

I have not heard of any anxiety on their part in that respect.

I ask the Minister to answer the question I put to him about the humanitarian bodies. Is he aware that these bodies favour early recognition so that they may be able to carry out their work more effectively?

Possibly, but what I think they would favour would be a stable position there and a stable position would be a prerequisite of our recognition. I am not arguing either for or against recognition. There is no virtue in being in a hurry all the time.