Irish foreign policy is militarily neutral but politically proactive in keeping with the traditions of the State, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Cowen said today.
He said neutrality never meant Ireland was isolationist or indifferent to world affairs. Equally, he told RTE Radio today, it is not the intention of Ireland to join a mutual defence pact like Nato.
Ireland had adopted a "proactive approach to maintaining peace and security in the international arena by our membership of the United Nations", he said. The success of Irish personnel in UN peacekeeping missions had greatly enhanced the country's standing abroad, the Minister added.
Mr Cowen denied a suggestion that America was overly influential in United Nations policy decisions. "From my perspective the situation is that Kofi Annan recognises as a passionate multilateralist that we must be able to show that we can effectively deal with situations like this [Iraq], hopefully, peaceably."
He said the UN had requested Iraq disarm, then imposed sanctions, after exhausting political and diplomatic efforts had unanimously passed Resolution 1441 which was a final opportunity for the Iraqis before the authority of the UN Security Council was enforced.
Asked why the Security Council moved on Iraq for non compliance with UN resolutions but not on Israel, Mr Cowen responded that any such move would attract a veto from one of the five permanent members of the Security Council.
The Government's view on the Israeli conflict was that "the legitimate security interests of Israel can be reconciled with the establishment of a democratic Palestinian State", said Mr Cowen.
On the separate issue of 850 Irish troops joining the EU Rapid Reaction Force, Mr Cowen said our military neutrality would not be compromised by partaking in an EU force equipped to react to crisis situations.
He stressed that each involvement by the force would only follow approval by the Government, Dáil sanction and also a UN mandate.
On the same day as Irish troops began guard duties at Shannon Airport, Mr Cowen it was policy not to search civilian aircraft carrying troops landing at the airport. He said the same rules applied for aircraft of all nations even in the unlikely event that an Iraqi military plane landed at the airport.
"Under Irish law the State requires "prior notification from these civilian aircraft companies [carrying troops] that these aircraft contain those firearms, even though there are no bullets in them even though they are not brought out of the plane", he said.
Mr Cowen said the background to the use of Shannon by US military aircraft was a deal between the then Minister for External Affairs, Mr Frank Aitken, and the US Ambassador in 1959 which meant prior notification was not required for every US aircraft.
Instead, the US provides a "post hoc" diplomatic note informing the State of the number of planes that had passed through.