Sir, - Mr Brian Cowen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, has described those who support Irish neutrality as "isolationists". He did not name the Peace and Neutrality Alliance, but as we are the main group seeking to maintain our neutrality, we assume it includes us.
When he made this attack PANA, together with the Irish United Nations Association and the Irish Committee for UNICEF, was organising a conference on transforming the United Nations. Speakers included Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; David Andrews, former Minister for Foreign Affairs; Denis Halliday, former UN Assistant Secretary-General; Mary Lawlor, director, Amnesty International; Justin Kilcullen, director of Trocaire; Paddy McGuinness, deputy chief executive, Concern Worldwide; Dr Terence Duffy of the UNA; Joe Murray of AFrI; and Tom Hyland of the East Timor Solidarity Campaign.
The organising of such a conference is not done by "isolationists" and Mr Cowen knows it. The President of PANA is the Rev Terence McCaughey, who was for 25 years the chairperson of the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement. Our vice-presidents include Tom Hyland, Denis Halliday, Declan McKenna of the Cuban-Irish Support Group and Brendan Butler of the El Salvador Support Group. Most people - but particularly those in South Africa, East Timor, Cuba and El Salvador - will be surprised to discover that our Minister for Foreign Affairs regards these figures as "isolationists".
He could have come to this view because he is so clever and intelligent. Another possible reason is that Mr Cowen seeks to continue the policy of the steady destruction of Irish neutrality without a referendum (like he did over PfP) and all he can do is engage in insults rather than engage civil society in discussion and debate.
Yet support for neutrality continues to grow and we are pleased to state that Mr Seamus Healy, TD, elected with over 30 per cent of the vote in Tipperary South, is joining PANA. We are now confident that after the next general election TDs who support PANA will hold the balance of power. We will be seeking a protocol to the Treaty of Nice to exclude Ireland from the military aspects of the Treaty and a neutrality amendment to the Constitution. - Yours, etc.
Roger Cole, Chair, Peace and Neutrality Alliance, Springhill Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin.