Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for participating in the conference yesterday and for attending today to reply on this very important question. I trust the Tánaiste will ensure at the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting today that the EU sanctions will at least be extended beyond the end of March. It is hoped that additional sanctions will be applied. The EU high representative, Baroness Ashton, chairs the Council of Foreign Ministers. It is very important that the Tánaiste, the Minister of State and the Government ensure that some better effort is made at UN level to bring about the necessary political support. It is not acceptable that the two major powers can be so intransigent when faced with the appalling loss of human life in Syria. I hope the Government will use every available forum during the Irish Presidency to ensure that this issue is given the attention it deserves in an effort to prevent the wholesale loss of life.

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