Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The rapidly worsening situation in Syria is a central item on the EU's agenda. The Foreign Affairs Council remains actively engaged in efforts to promote a peaceful resolution and assist the thousands of Syrians who are fleeing the violence. A political solution to the crisis is the only way forward. The United Nations and Arab League joint special envoy, Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, has been actively pursuing this objective and emphasising that only concerted action by the UN Security Council will carry sufficient weight to bring both sides to the negotiation table. I therefore warmly welcome the joint announcement on 7 May by Russia and the United States of their agreement to organise an international conference on Syria as a follow-up to the Geneva conference of June 2012. I hope this initiative will enable concrete steps to be taken towards a peaceful settlement and I urge both sides to the conflict to seize this opportunity and enter into genuine negotiations which will map out a way towards political transition in Syria.

The European Union also remains actively engaged in efforts to address the humanitarian situation in and around Syria. Ireland has already made available a total of €5.7 million in humanitarian assistance this year, including €4.7 million committed by the Minister of State, Deputy Joe Costello, at the Kuwait pledging conference in January and a further €1 million which I announced when visiting the Nizip refugee camp on the Turkish-Syrian border last month. Total Irish assistance to Syria since the start of the crisis amounts to €8.15 million, while the EU overall contribution stands at €600 million. Regrettably, only 58% of the pledges made in Kuwait have so far been honoured. Ireland urges all donors to fulfil the pledges made and deliver on their commitments.

With our EU partners, we will continue our efforts to ensure a peaceful resolution that finally brings about a civil, democratic and pluralist Syria.

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