Pro-Kosovo Ahern — and a Turkey — fail to ruffle Belgrade’s feathers
Speaking at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Mr Ahern said: “It’s a democratic Irish vote that we be represented by a Turkey and I have to support that decision.
“I personally know the number two on the night so I was not rooting for Dustin. Leona [Daly] grew up with my daughters and she did very well.”
Serbian diplomats were among those who listened yesterday to the Taoiseach’s address to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a body of 56 countries.
They praised Ireland for its economic growth, which they said they would like to emulate, but did not mention having to accommodate Dustin the Turkey on his quest for Eurovision glory in Belgrade on May 20.
The recognition of Kosovo by the Irish government would not be an expression of hostility towards Serbia, the Taoiseach assured the Balkan country yesterday.
Ireland will formally recognise Kosovo in the next few days and will contribute gardaí to the EU’s rule of law mission and support Kosovo’s economic development, he said.
His effort to reach out to Serbia was appreciated by its Ambassador Miroslava Beham, who told the Taoiseach her country admired Ireland’s economic miracle and had tried to learn from it. “But what we need is a Northern Ireland miracle,” she said referring to the Taoiseach’s speech dealing with the efforts to create peace in the North.
Mr Ahern said progress did not occur by chance but required sustained partnership between the governments of Ireland and Britain with the people of the North.
“It also involved a willingness to revisit strongly held historical claims and to forgive bitter wrongs on all sides… for a lasting solution must, in the words of John Hume, be about principled compromise not compromised principle.”
Mr Ahern is one of the few leaders to address the organisation’s permanent council. The body, set up as a forum to allow NATO countries meet the former USSR Warsaw Pact countries, has been struggling to find an identity since the collapse of the Berlin wall. It is now involved in election monitoring and human rights to further democracy, particularly in transition countries.
Mr Ahern warned against a two-tier structure, referring to ongoing rows over its role with Russia and urged more political control over election monitoring.
“There is, I feel, a need for a less confrontational tone in the debate. For any group of states to approach their relations with another group on anything resembling a master-pupil basis is difficult to reconcile with the Helsinki commitment to sovereign equality and respect for the rights inherent in sovereignty.
“Humility is a very useful quality in approaching exchanges in which criticism of others may seem justified,” he said.
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