International relations will from now on be conducted on a different basis, following last week's atrocities in the US, the Fine Gael leader, Mr Michael Noonan, told the House.
The conflict on which the US and its allies "seem set to embark" would not simply be one superpower against another, he said. "It will not be, cold-war style, a conflict between East and West. And I sincerely hope it will not be a conflict between the West and Islam." The only basis for the conduct of international relations was the rule of law. The United Nations must remain a cornerstone of Irish foreign policy in this regard. The battle against international terrorism, "must, of course" be fought internationally, he said, but security and counter-security measures alone were not sufficient. "It is important to look also at the underlying causes of terrorism and to acknowledge that there may well be political, economic and social issues that require to be dealt with."
There were some 80 to 90 "local conflicts", that were currently as great a threat to world peace as the Cold War ever was. "Many of these conflicts involved states and groups who feel alienated and excluded, particularly when they find themselves in conflict with the world superpower." States and groups who felt alienated were "particularly dangerous" and were prone to resort to extreme measures, including terrorism, "and even the development of nuclear capacity".
Last week's atrocities, said Mr Noonan, represented an attack not just on the US but on democracy as a whole. "The symbols attacked may have been symbols of world trade in the case of the twin towers in New York or 'superpower' in the case of the Pentagon. But the attacks were on ordinary people. People from 62 countries are listed as missing or dead." Mr Noonan drew an analogy with the situation in Northern Ireland where the Secretary of State, Dr John Reid, would have to take a decision "by the end of the week" relating to the institutions created under the Good Friday agreement.
A range of issues divided the parties, but in an overall context these had been significantly narrowed. The putting of weapons beyond use and acceptance of new policing arrangements were the major issues facing Sinn FΘin and the IRA. "I believe this is an appropriate time and that this House is an appropriate place from which to send a clear message to Sinn FΘin and the IRA: you cannot continue to threaten the Good Friday agreement, all elements of which have been endorsed by the overwhelming majority of the Irish people voting in a freely conducted and fair referendum. It is not your agreement. It belongs to all the people of this island." Nor could Sinn FΘin and the IRA "threaten and risk damaging the goodwill" which this country and its people enjoyed in the US, not least with the US Administration, Mr Noonan added. "Your continuing refusal to put arms and explosives beyond use in Ireland is an appalling signal to send at any time but particularly so following last week's atrocities." The questions raised about the relationship between Sinn FΘin and the IRA with "a major terrorist group" in Colombia also needed to be addressed, "and not flippantly".
He agreed with Ambassador Haas, President Bush's special envoy, who said he did not believe members of Sinn FΘin were in Colombia on holidays. "It is time for Sinn FΘin and the IRA to get off the fence. End the use of violence. End the threat of the use of violence. Break your links with other groups who are associated with terrorism."