Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Ireland has been working intensively with the European Union, the United Nations, the Arab League and other partners in the international community to compel the Syrian regime to cease its appalling and unacceptable attacks on the Syrian people through a series of robust economic, political and diplomatic measures. At EU level, the Foreign Affairs Council agreed on 1 December and 23 January additional measures which I entirely support related to the energy, financial, banking and trade sectors, as well as the listing of additional individuals and entities involved in the violence or supporting the regime. This comes on top of extensive existing EU sanctions, including a ban on oil imports from Syria.

At UN level, Ireland and all EU partners voted on 16 February in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution, which was supported by an overwhelming majority of UN member states, condemning human rights violations in Syria. I also outlined my serious concerns about the situation in Syria when I addressed the UN Security Council on 9 February. In addition, I discussed the issue with the UN Secretary General at a meeting on the same day. I regret very much that the Security Council has so far been unable to speak with a single voice on Syria in failing to pass a resolution on 4 February which otherwise commanded the full support of the Council. A strongly worded Council resolution would represent a tremendously important demonstration of the international community's concern and significantly add to the pressure on the Assad regime.

The Arab League has been providing strong leadership on the Syrian crisis and the peace plan which it outlined last November still provides the best basis for achieving a resolution. The initial meeting of the Friends of Syria Group in Tunisia on 24 February, to which Ireland and all EU partners have been invited, is also likely to prove valuable in considering next steps and endeavouring to bring together representatives of Syria's fragmented peaceful opposition. Ireland and its international partners are determined to maintain strong and united political pressure on the Syrian regime until it ends the violent repression against its own people.

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