Labour averts rift over joining PfP with policy demanding referendum

An imminent public rift in Labour over joining Partnership for Peace has been avoided after the parliamentary party agreed to…

An imminent public rift in Labour over joining Partnership for Peace has been avoided after the parliamentary party agreed to adopt a policy demanding a referendum before any decision was made by the Government.

In a separate development, an Oireachtas committee has heard that membership of PfP should be made conditional on the drawing up of a code of ethics on arms sales by member-states.

In spite of reservations expressed by the deputy leader, Mr Brendan Howlin, on the need for a referendum, yesterday's meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party agreed without a vote that a plebiscite should take place.

Mr Howlin told The Irish Times last night that he was "part of the consensus. Consensus was arrived at and I am happy to subscribe to that," he added.

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The party has also reached a compromise on its approach to NATO's bombing campaign in the Balkans, an issue that also gave rise to conflicting views within Labour.

Motions calling for a referendum on PfP will be tabled at the annual conference, which begins in Kerry tomorrow night, and ends with a debate on foreign affairs on Sunday.

According to Mr Howlin, these motions would win widespread support among delegates at the conference.

Heated exchanges took place at last week's Parliamentary Labour Party on the issue. The Labour president and foreign affairs spokesman, Mr Proinsias de Rossa, Mr Michael D Higgins and Mr Emmet Stagg expressed concerns about joining PfP during condemnation of NATO's attacks on Serbia and Kosovo.

However, the party's finance spokesman, Mr Derek McDowell, and Sen Pat Gallagher took an opposing view.

Last Friday, Mr Quinn and Mr De Rossa held discussions on PfP and the foreign affairs spokesman subsequently issued a statement calling on Fianna Fail to honour its pre-election commitment by holding a plebiscite to consult the people before any Government decision was made.

Following yesterday's PLP meeting, a statement was issued on Kosovo expressing concern at the continuing conflict and noting that a month of bombing by NATO forces had not eased the plight of civilians in the province.

According to the statement, the PLP had agreed to urge the Government to promote an initiative based on a range of issues including the immediate suspension of NATO bombing for a specified period and a simultaneous end to all hostile actions by Serbian forces and the KLA.

The Committee on Foreign Affairs yesterday heard discussion about EU member arms sales to Yugoslavia.

Mr Michael O'Kennedy (FF) told the committee on foreign affairs that the NATO campaign against Slobodan Milosevic raised the question of "how many NATO partners supplied armaments to this international criminals over the past decade?"