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Syrian Conflict

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 December 2018

Tuesday, 4 December 2018

Questions (120)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

120. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the assessment of the impact of sanctions on Syria that has been undertaken; the findings of such an assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50254/18]

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Written answers

The situation in Syria continues to be a matter of grave concern, and I take this opportunity to reiterate my condemnation of the violence against civilians that has been the hallmark of this conflict to date. The conflict was sparked, more than seven years ago, by brutal repression of dissent by the Assad regime. The conduct of the conflict, including the use of chemical weapons and medieval “starve or surrender” tactics, is estimated to have cost the lives of over 400,000 people. It has led to a situation in which 13 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria, over 6 million people are displaced internally, and a further 5.5 million have fled to neighbouring countries and the wider region.

Sanctions are a tool which the international community may use to put political pressure on those who commit violence against their own people. Targeted EU sanctions are in place against people and entities that are complicit in the violent repression of the civilian population in Syria. The first person on this EU list is Bashar Al Assad, whose brutal pursuit of this conflict, neglecting all opportunities to seek a political solution, has led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. There are numerous barriers to humanitarian access in Syria as a result of actions by the parties to the conflict, particularly the Assad regime.

Ireland has consistently supported EU sanctions targeting the Assad regime and its supporters, and will continue to do so as long as the situation in Syria justifies these measures.

The EU’s Basic Principles on the Use of Restrictive Measures state that “Sanctions should be targeted in a way that has maximum impact on those whose behaviour we want to influence. Targeting should reduce to the maximum extent possible any adverse humanitarian effects or unintended consequences for persons not targeted ….” Accordingly, the EU’s Syria sanctions include specific exemptions for essential civilian needs and for humanitarian assistance. Ireland has been a consistent advocate for ensuring such exemptions are included.

In line with the EU strategy on Syria, the EU is maintaining its restrictive measures against the Syrian regime and its supporters as long as the repression of civilians continues. To repeal these sanctions could be misconstrued as tacit acquiescence in the actions of the Assad regime and therefore serve to encourage a belief in impunity with regard to attacks on civilians, and disregard for the UN-led peace process.

The EU does however keep the impact of sanctions under constant review, and will consider options to mitigate any unintended consequences which can be documented as relating directly to the measures themselves, as distinct from the more general economic disruption caused by the conflict. The relevant working groups in Brussels propose options to address any unintended negative impacts where they are identified. Those who are working to deliver aid in the complex environment inside Syria constantly assess the impact of various factors, including sanctions, on their ability to deliver aid, and where relevant issues arise, officials from my Department raise these matters in discussions at EU level.

For example, in 2016 the EU amended the Syria sanctions regime to make it easier for NGOs operating in Syria to buy fuel. In 2017, EU Member States including Ireland consulted with NGOs to identify any further difficulties they were experiencing in carrying out humanitarian work in Syria that may have been linked to the sanctions. Based on the feedback of the NGOs, the European Commission published a Frequently Asked Questions document to clarify certain provisions of the sanctions identified as unclear by NGOs, as well as the humanitarian exemptions and derogations. In April of this year, EU Member States reviewed best practice guidelines on humanitarian exemptions, with a view to facilitating the work of NGOs responding to humanitarian crises, including the crisis in Syria. I welcome the ongoing work to implement the findings of previous reviews.

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