30 July 2000

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Govt pledge on neutrality `not worth the paper the last Fianna Fail election manifesto was written on'

Govt pledge on neutrality `not worth the paper the last Fianna F.il election manifesto was written on'

Sinn Fein has said that last week's [Thursday's] pledge by Foreign Minister Brian Cowen that Ireland will keep its neutrality and will not join any Euro Army ``is not worth the paper the last Fianna F.il election manifesto was written on''.

Sinn Fein's Dublin candidate in last year's European Parliament elections, Tallaght Councillor Se.n Crowe, said:

``I'd like to be able to believe Minister Cowen on this one, but Fianna F.il and Bertie Ahern promised voters in their last election manifesto that they would hold a referendum on joining the NATO-linked Partnership for Peace.

``Then, as soon as it got into power, Fianna F.il dumped its election pledge and just frog-marched us into the PfP.

``After that experience, how can anyone trust Fianna F.il promises on neutrality and a Euro Army?''

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