Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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577. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the United Nations can invoke its powers to positively intervene in Syria with a view to attempting to protect the civilian population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9431/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I have repeatedly condemned the violence in Syria against civilians and wish to make clear my absolute abhorrence of the horrific reports from Aleppo and the suburbs of Damascus in recent days. I also want to condemn the continuing, deliberate denial of humanitarian relief to Daraya by the Assad regime in recent days. The targeting of a civilian population is a war crime. I refer to UN Under-Secretary General Stephen O’Brien’s statement of 4 May 2016 in which he stated that all parties must finally and unequivocally live up to their obligations under international humanitarian law and the demands of this Council’s resolutions, and asked the Security Council “how much more suffering can we tolerate before there is a collective push towards an end to this senseless and shameful crisis”. I share the view that the United Nations, and in particular the UN Security Council, has the authority to act to protect the Syrian people from violence, in particular from the Assad regime and designated terrorist groups. I call on the Security Council to act to end this violence and to protect the Syrian people.

I have welcomed efforts by the UN and UN Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2254 of December 2015, to promote a political solution to the Syrian conflict, ensure humanitarian access for those in need and end the violence. It is clear that the Assad regime has failed to uphold its obligations and does so with impunity.

I repeat Ireland’s support for referral of the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court by the UN Security Council. This is the only means to ensure accountability for these crimes. I deeply regret that the 2014 resolution calling for referral of the Syrian situation to the International Criminal Court was vetoed by Russia and China.