The weekend attack on Iraq by US and British warplanes will be raised by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Cowen at meeetings with the US, Russian and French governments over the next week.
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Mr Brian Cowen
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Ireland has expressed its concern over the attacks, saying it "regrets very much that the use of force was deemed necessary". It advocated "every step be taken to avoid its further use".
Mr Cowen will meet Russian Foreign Minister Mr Igor Ivanov today and French counterpart Mr Hubert Védrine on Friday. Both of these countries have condemned the attack which was not sanctioned by the UN.
Next week the Minister will meet US Defence Secretary Mr Colin Powell and President Bush’s national security adviser, Ms Condoleeza Rice.
He will tell them Ireland wants to see the sanctions against Iraq lifted though a Department statement issued today said: "Iraq must demonstrate, with concrete evidence, its peaceful intentions."
The talks are part of a series of scheduled meetings resulting from Ireland’s election to the UN security council.
The increase in violence in Serbia - and conflicts in Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo - will also be discussed.