Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the witnesses for their presentations and the fact that they are highlighting this very important issue. I also thank their staff, at home and abroad.

Most of my questions I jotted down here have been answered already but I have maybe three that they might be able to expand on. First of all, can they comment on the prospects for a political solution? All conflicts end eventually, even if some go on for decades. The US has tried to negotiate a ceasefire unsuccessfully. Do they see the prospect of a political solution to this conflict in the foreseeable future? In terms of the observer mission, they might explain further as to what the objections and obstacles are to that. Is it a UN veto or something on those lines? The UN Security Council is fairly paralysed these days. Absent that, could the African Union, the Arab League or some regional group do that instead of the UN, if a UN mandate is not possible as it increasingly is on everything?

Finally, on extending the arms embargo to all of Sudan, the European Union has already done that. What is the position of the UK, US and Russia? Are they saying, "No", or what space are they in in terms of extending the arms embargo to the whole of the country?