asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action taken by this country in regard to encouraging the restoration of democratic rights in Chile and the up-to-date situation in this regard.

The ruling military junta of General Pinochet in Chile has promised the eventual restoration of the democratic right to a freely-elected Government. I have noted, however, that the Government have not yet set a date for relinquishing their control, and have stated that the armed forces can be expected to play a significant role in the political development of the country in the longer term.

While certain positive developments have taken place in the general area of human rights, such as the creation last year of the Chilean Commission for Human Rights, which the authorities have allowed to function, the freeing of all but about 50 political prisoners, increased press freedom and greater freedom of movement within and without Chile, it nevertheless remains a matter of grave concern that no substantive progress has been made in regard to democratic rights. The level of protection of human rights has not been maintained nor has there been any notable improvement in respect of the implementation of the elementary rights to freedom of association and expression.

Ireland, together with our partners in the Nine, has supported action by the UN General Assembly to facilitate the restoration of human and democratic rights in Chile. In recent years we have co-sponsored or supported General Assembly Resolutions which included a call for the restoration of democratic insitutions formely enjoyed by the Chilean people and the ending of the state of emergency. Last year Ireland supported the setting up of monitoring arrangements by a special rapporteur in respect of the human rights situation in Chile and subsequently supported the extension of mandate of the special rapporteur for a further year.

I wish to reassure the Deputy that the Government, together with our partners in the Nine, are following closely the situation in Chile and will actively pursue all efforts in international fora to help restore their democratic rights to the Chilean people.

Does the Minister consider there is any prospect of a response by the Pinochet regime to the international pressure on them? Does he feel that the present outlook is encouraging and that they will respond and restore democratic rights?

This is a very subjective question. Trying to make a value judgment on authoritarian regimes is always difficult from the outside. I deplore the type of regime operating there. What we can do effectively—and this applies to the most powerful countries outside Chile as well as to ourselves—is very limited, as the Deputy will appreciate.

Will the Minister assure the House that, so far as he can, he will continue to ensure that the pressure is maintained?

I will. We have made our position quite clear.

I appreciate the limited leverage we have. Did the Minister raise the question directly of the continued support for the Pinochet regime by the United States Government on his recent visit to the United States? If so, did the American President or Secretary of State respond?

I did not actually raise this with the United States Government. I had a number of other matters to raise which were more pertinent in the limited time I had at my disposal.

Does the Minister accept that the United States Government must accept responsibility in some part for the fall of the Allende Government and the establishment of the Pinochet regime and that the special relationship we have with the United States could have been put to some use in raising this matter?

I appreciate the special relationship we have with the United States Government. One of the aspects of that special relationship is that I do not propose to make any value judgments with regard to US relationships.

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