IntheGulfthewarbetween IranandIraqisnowentering itssixthyear. We have,together withourpartners intheTen,calledonbothparties torefrain from bombingcivilian targets. Wehaveunequivocally condemned theuseofchemical weapons. Andwehaveemphasized thattheGenevaConvention andotherrulesof international lawmustbefullyandunconditionally respected. Butbeyondthese efforts, whichareintended toreduce thescaleandintensity oftheconflict,MS/10 A/40/PV.13 39-40 (Mr.Barry,Ireland thereisaclearand'overriding ne~tobringthewartoanend.Irelandwill continue tosupport initiatives suchastheSecretary-General's whichofferhopeof anendtothislongandtragicconflict. InLebanon thebloodshed andlossoflifecontinue inacountry deeplydivided byreligious andcommunal antagonisms. Thereisanurgentneedtobreakthecycle ofviolence andtopermittheforcesofnational reconciliation toemerge. Ireland hasappealed totheLebanese Government andotherforcesinthecountry toexercise ~estraint andtoreturntothesearchforpeaceful solutions. Thereisanequal needforrestraint byforcesoutside thecountry. Israelmustcomplete its withdrawal inaccordance withtheresolutions oftheSecurity Council. A prerequisite forpeaceinLebanonisrespect byallforLebanon's territorial integrity,sovereigntyandindependence. Elsewhere intheregionthereissomecauseforoptimism. TheForeign Minister ofLuxembourg hasalreadysetoutindetailtheposition ofthe10members oftheEuropean Communities' ontheArab-Israeli conflict. Irelandisencouraged by thepeaceprocess initiated earlier thisyear ~yKingSussein andYasserArafat and wehavewelcomed theJordanian-Palesti.nian agreement asaconstructive step forward. Theformulation oftheseproposals required courage andimaginationJ theydemandacourageous andimaginative response fromallsides. Welookforward nowtoconcrete progress whichwillpermitafairandlasting peacebetween the ArabStatesandIsraelandajustsolution tothePalestinian problem.JSM/gmr A/ol0/PV.13 41 (Mr.Barry,Ireland) Butifafairandlasting solution tothislong-standing conflict istobe foundIbelieve thatIsraelIIllstdesist nowfromactions whichcouldcomplicate the searchforpeaceandcompromise aneventual solution. Inthisconnection, the continued gradual defactoabsorption byIsraeloftheWestBankandGazaisa matterofrealconcern andconstitutes agrowing obstacle toajustsolution which wouldpermitthePalestinian peopletoexercise theirrighttoself-determination. Theefforts oftheUnitedNations topromote apeaceful resolution ofthe conflicts intheMiddleEasthaveformanyyearsbeenbuttressed bytheworkofthe UnitedNaHonspeace-keeping forcesandobserver missionsintheregion. Insouth Lebanon theUnitedNations Interim ForceinLebanon (UNIFIL) hasmadeanimportant contribution toproviding amorestableenvironment inwhichlonger-term solutions totheproblems oftheareamightbeworkedout.However, myGovernment are concerned thatUNIFIL, towhichIreland hascontributed sinceitsinception, has notbeenpermittedfullytoimplement itsmandate.Wecallonalltheparties concerned intheconflict togivetheirfullco-operation totheForcetoenableit tocarryoutthetasksassigned toit.Ifthatco-operation continues tobe withhelditmustseriously callinto questio~ theviability oftheoperation. In thisconnection, myGovernment looksforward tothereportwhichthe secretary-General willshortly prese"lt totheSecurity Council onthefutureofthe Forceandweshallstudyhisobservations andrecommendations withthegreatest interest. Ithinkitisappropriate thatinthisanniversary yearwehonourtheservice ofallwhofrommanylandshavecontributed sonoblyandsoselflessly tothework oftheUnitedNations peace-keeping overthepast40years. Ireland celebrates thisyearnotonlythethirtieth anniversary ofourmembership oftheUnited Nati",ns butthetwenty-fifth anniversary ofthedispatch ofIrishtroopsonthe UnitedNationspeace-keeping mission intheCongo. WeareproudtohavebeenJSM/gmr A/40/PV.13 42 (Mr.Batry,Ireland) involved inalmostallUnitedNations peace-keping operations sincethattime.The establishment oftheunitedNations peace-keeping armisoneoftheroost encouraging developments inourefforts toconstruct asaferandmorestable world. Astheworld's capacd.ty fordestruction increases theneedforcontinued andsustained support -political andfinancial -fortheUnitedNations as peacekeeper becomes evenmorepressing. Itisthedutyofallofustoensurethat theremarkable achievement whichtheestablishment ofthepeace-keeping function represents inthefirst40yearsoftheUnitedNations canbestrengthened and renewed forthetaskswhichlieahead. Before Iconclude IshouldliketoinformtheAssembly oftheposition in Northern Ireland. Thebackground totheproblem ofNorthernIreland doesnot requiredetailed rehearsal here. Withinthenarrowconfines ofthenorth-eastern