The Government will face a major challenge to protect the State's interests in the negotiations on the enlargement of the European Union, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Addressing a meeting of 30 Irish ambassadors in Iveagh House yesterday, Mr Burke said the central challenge was in regard to the next round of EU structural funding.
There are fears that when poorer central and eastern European countries join the Union, their development needs will result in a sharp drop in the allocation of such funds to Ireland.
"News of our recent economic progress has clearly made an impression on our Community partners and they will be questioning why Ireland should continue to receive such a high level of structural assistance," Mr Burke said.
"The fact is, however, that Ireland's economic progress is very recent and we still have significant development needs. This is not always reflected in international media reporting but the reality is that we will need substantial support from the Union throughout the next round of funding if our development is to be sustained."
Mr Burke was outlining the Government's foreign policy priorities at a meeting of the heads of Irish missions abroad. He said that in the forthcoming EU negotiations on enlargement and funding of the Union "we will be relying to a great extent on our embassies in the EU capitals as well, of course, as the permanent representation in Brussels".
The four areas of greatest importance for Irish foreign policy were Northern Ireland, the development of the EU, the renewal of Ireland's commitment to the UN and the encouragement of Irish economic interests abroad, he said.
Over the next year, Ireland will be preparing for a campaign for election to the UN Security Council in the year 2000. All Irish heads of mission abroad had played an active part in the campaign to secure the post of UN Commissioner for Human Rights for the President, Mrs Robinson, he said. "We will need a similar concerted effort if we are to win election to the Security Council."
He praised the "very close and co-operative working relationship" between Foreign Affairs and the State agencies, particularly Bord Trachtala, Bord Failte and the IDA.