Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

On 21 April, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2043 (2012) authorising the establishment of the UN supervision mission in Syria, UNSMIS, for an initial 90 day period. Six members of the Defence Forces have been deployed as unarmed military observers to the mission since 11 May.

UNSMIS's mandate is to monitor and report on the security situation and on any transgression of the ceasefire agreement, as well as on the implementation of the six-point peace plan of Mr. Kofi Annan, the UN and Arab League joint special envoy. Following the intensification of armed violence, the head of mission, General Robert Mood, announced on 15 June that UNSMIS had suspended its normal activities. The suspension is being reviewed on a daily basis by the UN. While normal activities have not resumed, UN military observers, UNMOs, have undertaken limited patrols to humanitarian sites since 26 June. In carrying out their mission, members of UNSMIS have been subjected to utterly unacceptable attacks and limitations on their activities. Such attacks and restrictions must stop and the safety and security of UNSMIS personnel must be rigorously respected, with particular responsibility falling on Syria as host nation.

The UN Security Council is expected to decide on the future configuration of the mission on 18 July, in advance of the expiry of the initial 90 day mandate on 20 July. UN Secretary General Ban is presenting a report to the UN Security Council today which will form the basis for a review of the mission's current mandate. While all options are on the table, from a scaled down mission to complete withdrawal, I continue to believe that the mandate of UNSMIS remains critical in objectively monitoring the situation on the ground while its presence is also of great importance and reassurance to the Syrian population. I hope, therefore, that the Security Council will decide to extend the mission, even albeit in reduced form.

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