Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 111: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will oppose any UN or EU external action proposed for a no-fly zone over Syria. [2587/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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There is no serious proposal at UN or EU level for a no-fly zone over Syria at present and it is very unlikely that one will emerge given that there is considerable resistance, not least within the ranks of the Syrian opposition and within the region, to any idea of outside intervention in Syria. Any no-fly zone in any case could only be authorised or properly mandated through a UN Security Council Resolution and there is no prospect of this at present, given clear Russian and Chinese opposition to such a step or any idea of external intervention in Syria. Any proposal to establish a no-fly zone would also have to be endorsed by the Arab League and by Turkey. As I have outlined in replies to a number of oral Parliamentary Questions today, the focus of this Government and the international community has been on increasing diplomatic and political pressure on the Assad regime to halt its violence and repression. In this context, the EU, the UN, the Arab League and other partners, have reacted to the violence in Syria with a series of robust economic, political and diplomatic measures to compel the Syrian regime to cease its appalling and unacceptable attacks on the Syrian people. This includes several rounds of EU sanctions, most recently on 1 December.

The Government, together with its EU partners, particularly welcomes the leadership which has been shown by the Arab League which has brought forward a plan which provides for the withdrawal of all Syrian forces from besieged towns and cities, the release of all detainees, unrestricted access for international media, observers and aid workers, and for the beginning of genuine political dialogue with the Syrian opposition. This plan represents the best way forward for Syria and it is vital that the Assad regime complies fully and without any further delay. I support the Arab League plan to continue its monitoring mission until 19 January and strongly condemn the attack against a group of monitors in Latakia. A frank assessment of the situation will be necessary in the near future about whether the monitoring mission is contributing in the way it should to ending the violence against civilians.

The international community is determined to maintain strong and united political and economic pressure on the Syrian regime until it ends the violent repression against its own people and begins a process of transition.