asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will register a protest with the Government of the USA in respect of its policy of supplying economic and military aid to countries such as El Salvador which have shown a consistent disregard for human rights, and the steps the Government has taken to discourage trade with such countries.

As the Deputy is aware, the Government condemn violations of human rights wherever they occur and have consistently striven, in international organisations and through the channels open to them, to bring about an end to such violations.

The question of the policy of the Government of the United States in regard to the provision of military assistance to other countries is one for that government themselves to decide. I do not believe that it would be appropriate for us to make representations in the matter. I have however noted that in a number of cases US military assistance to other countries has been suspended because the US considered that the human rights situation in those countries was seriously unsatisfactory.

As regard the question of trade relations, I would refer the Deputy to the reply given on this matter by my predecessor on 8 November 1979.

Has it not been the persistent policy of successive Governments to maintain a position of non-commitment, of neutrality, in respect of issues generally? If one does not accept that, and if one is not necessarily linked to the Americans on these issues, do we not take up the position in regard to Afghanistan that violations of human rights have taken place there and that we will be justified in taking up a particular posture? Why can we not do that in regard to El Salvador also?

If we started interfering in cases of repression of human rights everywhere they occur, it would not be very effective and we would not be regarded as being very effective.

That is rather selective.

Question No. 15.

The sort of values we cherish——

I am calling Question No. 15.