Irish naval officer urges acceptance of PFP invitation

Ireland should accept the invitation issued by the US to send a naval patrol ship to a forthcoming Partnership for Peace (PFP) exercise as it would be "well within the spirit of our brand of neutrality", a Defence Forces publication oir (italics) annual review has said.

The Naval Service would have as much to offer the PFP fleets as it would gain from the experience, the recently published Defence Forces review states. The maritime exercise is due to take place in the Baltic in June, in advance of the Government's proposal to sign up to the NATO-sponsored PFP programme.

The invitation, which came through the US defence attache and is not contingent on PFP membership, is still being considered by the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, in consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Minister is expected to be questioned on his decision in the Dail tomorrow. Earlier this week the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said the Government intended to press ahead with joining the PFP programme in the autumn.

Writing in the Cosantoir annual review, published by the Defence Forces, Lieut Cdr Hugh Tully of the Naval Service, says Irish naval personnel have a great deal to offer the exercise in terms of boarding procedures, security and surveillance operations and search-and-rescue techniques.

No Irish ship has ever been sent to the exercise, known as Baltops, since it was initiated by the Baltic states under the PFP concept six years ago. However, Lieut Cdr Tully was sent as an Irish observer in 1994.

The exercise reflects increasing co-operation among European navies and involves non-aligned and NATO navies during the first of two weeks, he says.

"The exercises are designed to allow PFP member-states to train for maritime operations in order to improve communications, co-ordination, combined operations `inoperability' in the areas of sanction/embargo enforcement, interdiction of contraband and disaster response," Lieut Cdr Tully writes.

"I consider that more active participation in this type of exercise offers a great deal to Ireland in becoming pro-active in European security matters, and it is well within the spirit of our brand of neutrality," he states, in a paper on maritime doctrine and its application to the Naval Service.

Last month the Green Party and the Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA) called on the Government to turn down the invitation to Baltops. The Irish branch of the Nautical Institute, which represents both naval and mercantile officers, has urged the Government to accept.

Also in Cosantoir, State responsibility towards maritime duties is criticised by Lieut Cdr Mark Mellett, on the basis that there has been inadequate State commitment to developing the maritime defence wing.

Ireland has the second-largest sea area in Europe, but it is patrolled by a navy with only one-sixteenth of the European average capacity, he writes.

The marine designated area has an ecological service value worth £30 billion, and contributes more than £1 billion annually to the economy, Lieut Cdr Mellett writes. However, lack of resources to police and defend the area means that the State may have effectively surrendered sovereignty over it. The forthcoming White Paper on Defence offers an opportunity to redress the imbalance, he says.