The terms on which the State will join the Partnership for Peace were approved by the Cabinet yesterday. The text of the presentation document is:
1. Ireland wishes to respond positively to the invitation extended in 1994 by NATO to states of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (now the OSCE) to participate in the Partnership for Peace (PfP).
Ireland also wishes to participate in the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC). The broad participation in PfP since 1994 underlines the fact that PfP, including the EAPC, has become an important framework for co-operation and confidence-building in its own right.
2. In accepting the invitation to participate in PfP, Ireland restates its commitment to the development of a just and peaceful international society based on the rule of law; democracy; respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
PfP, and the co-operative values which underlie the partnership, are compatible with these commitments and objectives.
3. Ireland pursues a policy of military neutrality, and does not intend to become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Ireland's decision to participate in PfP is in full accordance with Ireland's policy of military neutrality, which has always been pursued in tandem with full and active support for collective security, based on international law.
4. Ireland agrees with the basic concept of PfP: that stability and security in the Euro-Atlantic area can be achieved only through co-operation and common action. Ireland shares the values fundamental to PfP, set out in the PfP Framework Document, including protection and promotion of fundamental freedoms and human rights, and safeguarding of freedom, justice and peace through democracy.
In joining PfP, Ireland, in common with the other PfP states, reaffirms its commitment to fulfil in good faith the obligations of the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Equally, Ireland reaffirms its commitment to the Helsinki Final Act and all subsequent documents of the OSCE.
5. Participation in PfP entails reaffirmation of the commitment of participating states to the fulfilment of the commitments and obligations they have undertaken in the field of disarmament and arms control. Ireland reaffirms its commitments and obligations in this area.
6. Ireland plays an active role in UN peacekeeping, and supports the continuing elaboration of effective international strategies and action for conflict prevention, peacekeeping and crisis management. In this connection, Ireland attaches importance to effective and mutually reinforcing co-operation between those institutions with a role to play in the search for peace and stability in Europe.
7. Ireland welcomes the role that co-operation for peacekeeping has assumed in PfP and looks forward to contributing to partnership activities in this area. The calls on the international community to be able to respond to the humanitarian needs of populations in crisis have become increasingly apparent in recent years.
8. In 1997, the EAPC came into being as the over-arching framework for political and security related consultations and for enhanced co-operation under PfP. Ireland has welcomed the development of the EAPC as a flexible forum, involving a wide range of European and North American countries, for consultations and co-operation on political and security-related matters of common concern, including regional issues, arms control, peacekeeping, civil emergency planning, scientific and environmental issues.
9. Ireland welcomes the intention of the EAPC to examine ways in which it might support global humanitarian action against mines. Ireland also welcomes the initiative to examine how EAPC might contribute to controlling the transfer of small arms, recognising the high number of innocent civilian casualties caused by the use of mines and small arms.
10. The following is an indication of areas of general interest for Ireland in the PfP framework:
I - Co-operation on peacekeeping
11. Since 1958, Irish peacekeepers and military observers have participated in 46,000 individual tours of duty involving 37 UN peacekeeping missions. Based on this experience Ireland is prepared to participate in and contribute to co-operation in the partnership framework in such areas as operational and generic planning for peacekeeping and peace support, communications, command and control, operational procedures, logistics and training. Ireland's experience in peacekeeping has underlined the importance of inter-operability, which in Ireland's view is an essential requirement for any multinational peacekeeping or crisis management operation.
In this connection, Ireland intends to participate in PfP's Planning And Review Process (PARP). In view of the more complex, challenging and multifunctional nature of UN-mandated peacekeeping in recent years, Ireland has also followed with interest PfP's focus on civil-military co-operation in peacekeeping and on the humanitarian aspects of peacekeeping.
12. Ireland wishes to contribute its UN peacekeeping experience by playing an active part in humanitarian rescue, peacekeeping and crisis management tasks - the Petersberg Tasks - in support of the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). Ireland sees PfP in general, and the PARP in particular, as having an important role to play in co-operation and planning for participation in such tasks.
II - Humanitarian operations
13. Irish Defence Forces personnel have been actively involved in humanitarian assistance. They provide assistance to the civil authorities in response to natural or other disasters. In the context of their international peacekeeping role, Irish peacekeeping contingents have engaged in humanitarian efforts aimed at assisting local communities to develop a self-help philosophy; and Irish Defence Forces personnel have served on a voluntary basis with UNHCR and Irish aid agencies on several continents.
In the light of this experience, Ireland is interested in the development of co-operation, and the exchange of experience and expertise in the area of humanitarian operations.
Ireland has also noted with interest the development within the PfP framework of co-operation on civil emergency planning and disaster relief.
III - Search and Rescue
14. Ireland is interested in the development of co-operation, and exchange of expertise and experience, in the field of civil search and rescue.
IV - Co-operation in the protection of the environment
15. Ireland is interested in the further development of co-operation in the PfP framework with regard to threats to the environment.
V - Co-operation in marine matters
16. As a maritime nation, Ireland is interested in the development of co-operation and training in marine techniques, including marine research, technology and development.
17. Ireland is of the view that PfP will assist the Irish Defence Forces in improving their capability for multinational peacekeeping and peace support operations in the future, through development of inter-operability, training and exercises. Ireland will seek to acquire the necessary training, techniques, operational procedures and peacekeeping doctrines which are essential prerequisites for the new style of peacekeeping and crisis management missions mandated by the UN in recent years.
Ireland also wishes to share with other participating states the experience which it has acquired in UN peacekeeping and crisis management.
18. The following assets could be made available for PfP activities subject to national decisions in each case:
- Defence Forces assets for training, education and exercise purposes could include an infantry company group, leading to an infantry battalion group, battalion staff elements, specialist detachments, for example engineers, logisticians and exchange personnel;
- Facilities available for peacekeeping co-operation in the PfP context could include the UN Training School at the Curragh, language laboratory resources with their associated infrastructure and courses, and a limited training area.
19. Specific areas of interest to Ireland include:
Co-operative procedures:
- Issues of operational readiness, doctrine, inter-operability, training and equipment in relation to enhancing Ireland's ability to carry out modern multinational operations in the peace-support, search and rescue and humanitarian areas;
Unit training for specific types of missions:
- Involvement of units, staffs, specialist detachments, and training facilities for conducting joint planning and participating in training exercises at home and abroad for peace support, search and rescue and humanitarian missions.
Activities:
- Participation in, and hosting of, appropriate PfP activities such as conferences, seminars, workshops, training and education courses and exercises associated with peace support operations, search and rescue and humanitarian missions.
20. Ireland intends to appoint representatives to the NATO headquarters in Brussels, which is the location of the EAPC, and to the Partnership Co-ordination Cell (PCC), centred in Mons, Belgium.