Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As I mentioned, we did take concrete actions at EU level in imposing sanctions just very recently. The big question is whether the warring parties are receiving support from outside the country. Unfortunately this is the case. A number of states from the Gulf to Egypt, Turkey, Iran and Russia are all alleged to be providing material and other supports for the warring parties. This clearly works against any push to return to the negotiation table. Together with our EU partners we have been very clear that this external engagement must end. This is really the primary focus at EU level for outside countries to stand back and let peace negotiations commence in the region without the influence of other governments and other countries that are assisting the different parties and thereby extending the actual conflict. In the meantime we are working on the sanctions. We want to get negotiations at an African level and other levels improved and commenced as soon as possible. In the meantime we want to continue delivering the humanitarian aid that has been placed at various conferences and which is making some impact. Obviously the situation is so serious on the ground that we need a ceasefire of hostilities in the first instance.

See this speech in context