DON'T LAND HERE!

TIME FOR IRISH
GOVERNMENT TO
HALT U.S. ABUSE OF
SHANNON AIRPORT:

Two years ago, Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) and Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs,

Eamon Gilmore, made a public statement at a conference of the Labour Party in Dublin on the presentation for the formation of a coalition government with the Fine Gael party that, as part of that government's programme, international law would be enforced at Shannon Airport. It's long overdue now that Mr Gilmore should honour that promise and halt the abuse of Shannon Airport by the US Military which has been carried on since the start of the Iraq War in 2003.

Mr Gilmore stated this week that the Syrian crisis should be resolved only by procedures

provided by the UN. With US President Obama declaring publicly that he intends to launch aggressive military strikes against the sovereign state of Syria contrary to article 2.4 of the UN Charter in the near future, the Irish Government must immediately carry out its obligations under the Charter and refuse any facilities either preparatory or active on Irish territory for what has been declared illegal acts of aggression by UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon.

There is also a Constitutional obligation on any Irish Government to comply with provisions of International Law in the case of any conflict between member states of the UN. There should be no more delay now on this issue and the US should be served notice forthwith that their aircraft will no longer be allowed land or transit Irish territory in pursuit of illegal war aims. A similar declaration was made by the government of neutral Austria this week.

In blatant disregard of international conventions on human rights, arms control, respect for neutral states, the US has shamelessly misused the facilities at Shannon for "rendition" flights, transport of illegal chemical weapons - White Phosphorous- to Israel in 2008-9 for its criminal attacks on the civilian population of Gaza, then vetoed UN resolutions condemning Israeli war crimes against the Palestinian people; supported Israeli piracy in attacking Irish ships travelling to Gaza with humanitarian aid; the kidnapping, assault and illegal detention of Irish citizens attempting to aid the people of Gaza.

Time for the Irish Government to stand up against US Imperialist bullying, support the UN and international law, implement an independent foreign policy consistent with our sovereign democratic Republic and defend the interests of the Irish people as its first and most important duty.