Ahern says Govt supports UN

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has insisted that the Irish Government fully supports the United Nations as the body responsible for maintaining peace and security throughout the world.

Mr Ahern was responding to Dail questions from Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte, who asked for the Government's views on the Bush doctrine of pre-emptive war.

Referring to the current US/British war against Iraq, Mr Ahern said: "We decided not to be involved or not to participate in any way in this conflict because, in our belief, with no UN resolution, we could not do so.

"For the longer term, the policy of this country has since 1955 been to play our international role, our foreign policy, under the collective security of the United Nations. That remains the position."