Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether US threats of military action against Iran are breaches of the UN Charter and international law. [44834/12]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether comments made by the President of the United States in support of pre-emptive military strike by Israel against Iranian nuclear facilities are in breach of United Nations Charters and international law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45098/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 63 together.

In his address to the UN General Assembly on 25 September last, President Obama said: “America wants to resolve this issue through diplomacy, and we believe that there is still time and space to do so. But that time is not unlimited.” This is consistent with the serious, patient and protracted efforts of the United States Government over many years. The US has worked closely with the European Union and the Governments of Russia and China, to engage Iran in a diplomatic dialogue to resolve the serious concerns surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme. These concerns are shared by Ireland and its EU partners, by the wider international community and by the International Atomic Energy Agency. All recent reporting and analysis of the issue has acknowledged continuing US efforts to discourage any immediate recourse to military action against Iranian sites.

The Government, in concert with our European partners, fully support a diplomatic solution to this issue. Furthermore, the Government has equally and consistently been clear in advocating with EU and international partners that it is only through the path of diplomatic negotiations that the serious issues arising from Iran’s nuclear programme can be resolved. It is regrettable that thus far Iran has not been willing to engage in negotiations on the issue with the necessary seriousness and commitment. We hope very much that this will change.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide details on his recent trip to meet the UN Assistant Secretary General in New York to discuss the current situation in Syria; if Ireland has been asked to carry out any specific tasks by the UN Assistant Secretary General to help elevate the humanitarian crisis in the region. [44813/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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During my visit to the UN General Assembly in New York last month, I met with the UN Secretary General on 29 September for a wide-ranging discussion which covered also the crisis in Syria. SG Ban and I reviewed the current disheartening situation on the ground in Syria, with mounting casualties now estimated at well over 20,000 people killed in the past twenty months. We agreed that it was regrettable that such deep divisions continue to exist on how to end the conflict, not least within the UN Security Council itself but also among the Syrian population and within the ranks of the Syrian opposition.

We shared the view that the EU and the international community must redouble their efforts to end the nightmare of the Syrian people. In particular, we agreed that newly-appointed Joint Special Representative Brahimi needs all our support in his task of rejuvenating the Annan Plan and the Geneva Communiqué with the hope of finding a new way towards peace and a political settlement involving transition.

I also reiterated Ireland’s strong view that what is needed above all now is a robust Chapter VII UNSC Resolution which would include sanctions and a comprehensive arms embargo. This would go a long way towards cutting off the flow of arms to all sides and compel those who are responsible for violating the human rights of the Syrian people to stop their reprehensible actions.

I also underlined Ireland’s strong support for a referral of the situation in Syria to the ICC, given the clear need and duty which we have vis-a-vis the Syrian people to ensure there is some form of accountability for the many serious human rights violations which have taken place.

The United Nations, principally through OCHA (the Office of the Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs), is playing a central role in international efforts to mobilise the substantial resources which are now required to deal with the humanitarian emergency confronting Syria and its neighbours. Ireland, for its part, is playing a significant role in supporting UN agencies and others in their relief operations. To date, we have contributed a total of €2.25 million in humanitarian assistance, principally channelled through UNHCR, ICRC and WHO. Minister of State Costello had extensive discussions with the UNHCR during his visit last August to the Zatari refugee camp in Jordan which UNHCR operates and which is now accommodating some 35,000 Syrian refugees fleeing the conflict.