Cowen says State not leaving itself open to war

The Government expects any military response to the attacks on the US to be "proportionate, measured and focused on the pursuit of justice", the Minister for Foreign Affairs told the Dβil. Mr Cowen said Ireland's offer of overflight and refuelling facilities did "absolutely not" mean the State would soon be involved in a war.

"We continue our policy of military neutrality. We have not joined any military alliance. We are not committing Irish troops to action." But he stressed that Ireland was not neutral between freedom and terrorism, had "never been neutral in the face of international terrorism or in our unambiguous support of the United Nations".

The Minister, who returned yesterday morning from New York, told deputies that in offering facilities to states whose forces "are engaged in bringing to justice" those who carried out or assisted in the US attacks, the State was living up to its responsibilities under UN resolutions.

"It can be seen as a tangible expression of our solidarity with the American people in the face of the terrible, unprovoked onslaught of 11th September. Our offer to a country and a people who have in difficult times past supported Ireland is both right and honourable."

The Minister met US secretary of State, Colin Powell, who "assured me that if military force is used, it will be careful and calibrated. I emphasised to the Secretary the imperative, as Ireland saw it, that any military response be measured, proportional and avoid as far as possible the risk of inflicting civilian casualties." Mr Powell also expressed his appreciation of Ireland's solidarity and support, and offered his condolences for the Irish victims of the attack.

Ireland chairs the UN security council this month and Mr Cowen said the State played a full role during intensive discussions to ensure "that the necessary balance was struck between the need to tackle terrorism more effectively, but not at the expense of the observance of fundamental human rights".

The minister described his visit to "ground Zero" as a "traumatic, emotional and deeply saddening experience".

"Nothing could have prepared me for the sheer immensity of the destruction to property," he said. "But even more shocking was that thousands of innocent people going about their daily business had been slaughtered in the name of an evil hatred."

The scale of the devastation was still only being guessed at, he said. Estimates of the number of people killed were still imprecise. Five Irish fatalities were confirmed and eight people were still missing. "Sadly there may yet be other Irish citizens, not yet notified to us, who may have been caught up in the tragedy." There were tragically "very many Irish-American casualties of this atrocity".

Mr Cowen stressed that when he addressed the UN General Assembly he argued that the fight against international terrorism needed to take place on various levels. UN member-states had to do all they could to bring to justice the perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of the attacks.