asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs, arising out of his recent meeting with the representative of the PLO, Dr. Makhlouf, if he will outline the position of the Government regarding the Palestinian problem.

22.

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent discussions in Dublin with the representative of the PLO, Mr. Eugene Makhlouf; if, in light of recent developments the Government have considered extending any official or diplomatic recognition to the PLO; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

47.

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he intends to meet Yassar Arafat; and, if so, when.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 22 and 47 together.

I met Dr. Eugene Makhlouf, PLO representative for Sweden with responsibility also for Ireland, on 10 February. The meeting gave me an opportunity to hear at first hand the views of one who was closely involved in the sequence of events which culminated in the US decision of 14 December to initiate a substantive dialogue with the PLO after a 15-year ban. Dr. Makhlouf explained the Palestine National Council decisions of 15 November 1988 and outlined the steps taken by the PLO towards advancing the peace process. In our exchange of views, I outlined recent developments in the approach of the Twelve, notably their commitment to work for the convening of an international peace conference under UN auspices as the most constructive way forward.

In relation to the PLO, the member states of the European Community, since the Venice Declaration of June 1980, have held the view that the Palestinian people and the PLO must be associated with any negotiations for a comprehensive settlement of the Middle East conflict. Ireland, for its part, has recognised the role of the PLO in representing the Palestinian people. International acceptance of that role has been very significantly enhanced since the Palestinian National Council decisions of 15 November, as is evidenced by the unprecedented level of support, including that of the Twelve, for General Assembly Resolution 43/176 on the convening of an international peace conference on the Middle East. This resolution explicitly includes the PLO as a participant in the conference on an equal footing with all other parties to the conflict and with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. As I have already said, Ireland, along with her partners in the Twelve, is committed to work for the early convening of an international conference on this basis.

Deputies may be aware that Mr. Arafat visited Madrid for a meeting on 27 January with the Troika of Foreign Ministers of Greece, Spain and France who represent the Community on this particular matter. This was a significant development in Twelve policy. The possibility of my meeting Mr. Arafat in a Troika or Presidency capacity was mentioned in discusion with Dr. Makhlouf but the question does not arise at this stage.

The criteria in international law applicable to recognition of States are not yet met in this case, but I wish to reaffirm the statement I made in this House on 13 December 1988. The Government consider that in the context of a negotiated settlement, the right of the Palestinian people to self-determinatin includes their right to an independent State. It is our hope that the Palestinian State proclaimed on 15 November 1988 will, in the context of a negotiated settlement, become an entity to which Ireland can extend formal legal recognition.