FG motion `premature'

A Fine Gael Private Member's motion calling on the Dail to approve the State joining Partnership for Peace is expected to be defeated tonight in favour of a Government amendment proposing that the possibility be "favourably examined".

The Government intends to bring the issue to the Dail for further debate and has described the Fine Gael motion as premature.

Fine Gael appealed across party lines for support last night for its motion of outright support for participation in the NATO-led Partnership for Peace. However, Labour, which has stated its support for the possibility of participation, tabled an amendment saying a decision to join would be "pre-emptive in advance of a fully-informed public debate".

Labour's newly-appointed foreign affairs spokesman, Mr Proinsias de Rossa, opposes participation, claiming it would represent a step towards joining NATO.

Tabling the motion, Fine Gael's spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr Gay Mitchell, declared it was high time the State took its place among the community of other European nations, both aligned and neutral, which believed they had a political and moral responsibility to proactively promote and uphold peace.

Putting down the Government's amendment, the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, said the Coalition was committed to build on the State's "international vocation in support of peace and security".

He said if the Government decided on participation such a decision "would be submitted by the Government to this House for its approval".

However, the Green Party accused the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, of reneging on pre-election promises by attempting to "sneak" the State into the partnership.