Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he intends to discuss at the next EU Council meeting the ongoing situation in Syria which has resulted in thousands of lives being lost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39026/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The deeply worrying situation in Syria was one of the principal items addressed at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg on 15 October which I attended. Discussion focussed on the heightened tensions currently existing between Syria and Turkey and the dangers of the conflict spreading into the wider region. Considerable attention was also devoted to the worsening humanitarian situation, with 1.5 million Syrians internally displaced and an estimated 300,000 refugees having fled to neighbouring countries. Syria was also discussed at a dinner meeting which I and my EU counterparts had with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov last Sunday evening, prior to the Council. I had already met with Foreign Minister Lavrov while attending the UN General Assembly in New York last month and had discussed Syria in detail at that stage and encouraged Russia to use its considerable influence on the situation to end the violence and promote a meaningful political transition in Syria.

The Foreign Affairs Council agreed detailed Conclusions on Syria which made clear that the EU continues to stand by the Syrian people in their courageous struggle for freedom, dignity and democracy. The Council also expressed deep concern concerning the spill-over effects of the Syrian crisis in neighbouring countries and strongly condemned the shelling by Syrian forces of Turkish territory, including the attack on the border town of Akcakale on 3 October.

The absolute priority remains stopping all violence and ending oppression and, in this regard, the Council once again warned against the dangers of further militarisation and radicalisation of the conflict. The Council also expressed its full support for the efforts of the UN/Arab League Joint Special Representative, Lakhdar Brahimi, to secure an early ceasefire and promote an overall political settlement.

The Council also addressed the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation and recalled the moral imperative for the international community to step up assistance to all affected populations in Syria and neighbouring countries. Ireland, for its part, is already making a substantial contribution to humanitarian relief efforts, having provided €2.45 million in assistance to date, principally channelled through UNHRC, ICRC and WHO. Development Minister Costello also visited Zatari refugee camp in Jordan at the end of August.

I have consistently reiterated that there needs to be accountability for all the very many serious human rights violations committed in Syria and that is why nationally we support referral of the situation by the UN Security Council to the International Criminal Court. The Council for its part equally reiterated that all those responsible for serious human rights abuses must be held accountable and welcomed the extension of the mandate of the UN Commission of Inquiry investigating such events in Syria.

The Council also approved a further round of restrictive measures targeted against the Assad regime and it supporters, giving the Syrian government’s continuing clear failure to end repression and desist from waging war and inflicting horrendous suffering on its own people. While EU sanctions have been effective in increasing pressure on the Assad regime, I continue to believe the most effective measure which could be taken now to end the violence in Syria would be the imposition of a comprehensive arms embargo by the Security Council.