The Government and our EU partners continue to have serious concerns about the human rights situation and the pace and manner of the transition to democratic rule in Nigeria.
The Government, with its partners in the European Union, has consistently acted to express its serious concern to the Nigerian authorities about human rights violations in their country.
As the House will be aware, Ireland strongly supported the adoption of the EU Common Positions of 20 November and 4 December 1995 on Nigeria which imposed an arms embargo, visa restrictions and the suspension of EU development assistance with immediate effect. We also fully supported the recent extension of the Common Position measures for a further six months from 4 December 1996. During the current Presidency, I have conveyed the Union's ongoing human rights concerns to the Nigerian authorities directly and through our Ambassador in Lagos, thus ensuring that our human rights concerns have been kept to the fore.
At the EU General Affairs Council meeting in July under my chairmanship, it was agreed that the Union would continue its identification and examination of further measures that could be taken against Nigeria and to keep developments in the country under close review in consultation with other interested countries and bodies. Since then, as Presidency, we have been actively engaged with the EU and other interested parties in this ongoing process of consultation and close review, which includes within its remit the continuing human rights situation in Ogoniland and throughout Nigeria.
While the European Union has welcomed a number of potentially positive developments in relation to human rights in Nigeria such as the resumption of dialogue with the Commonwealth, the release of a number of political prisoners and the establishment of a Commission on Human Rights, serious cause for concern remains. This has been reflected in the terms of the resolution on the human rights situation in Nigeria which was co-sponsored by the European Union and duly adopted by the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly on 29 November.
The situation in Nigeria continues to be monitored closely under the review framework of the EU Common Positions with the additional focus agreed under the Irish Presidency at the General Affairs Council in July. The Government will continue to work, both bilaterally and with our EU partners, for the early restoration of democracy and full respect for human rights and the rule of law in Nigeria and we will pursue our concerns in the United Nations and other appropriate international fora.