Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

On 27 May last, the Ministers agreed to extend the restrictive measures for 12 months but without the arms embargo, on which no further agreement could be reached. It was also agreed that the high representative will draw up a special report on political developments in advance of the Council meeting on 1 August next. That will give Ministers an opportunity to review the situation. It seems at this point that the Geneva II peace conference offers the only real prospect for any progress to be made. All of the steps that have been taken so far have been unsuccessful. As the Tánaiste indicated, it may not be possible for it to take place on 9 July, as was intended, because of Ramadan and for other reasons. One can read as much as one wishes into the positions the various superpowers are taking on one side or the other. For a long time, the US has been proposing that weapons be supplied. The EU has been very reluctant to get involved in that in any way. Britain and France have broken the agreement to that effect that was in place until recently. At the same time, they have agreed not to supply any arms until the matter is reviewed on 1 August.

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