Brian Stanley
Ceist:45 Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his position on the current political situation in Syria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2353/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 17 January 2012
Ceisteanna (33, 34)
Brendan Smith
Ceist:46 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken at an EU level to raise the massacre of anti-regime protesters in Syria over the past year; the measures the EU has taken and is considering in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2387/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 46 together.
I have made clear my strong condemnation of the ongoing violence and serious repression of human rights in Syria, most recently in a statement on 20 December and in my reply to question 47 on 11 January.
The UN estimates that over 5,000 people have been killed by Syrian forces since last March. I am gravely concerned that, despite the presence of an Arab League observer mission since 27 December, the killings of unarmed protestors and widespread human rights abuses continue and I fully support the call from Arab League Secretary General el-Araby for a complete cessation of all violence in Syria.
The international community, including the EU, the UN and the Arab League, has 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.
The EU Foreign Affairs Council agreed on 1 December additional measures related to the energy, financial, banking and trade sectors, as well as the listing of additional individuals and entities involved in the violence or supporting the regime. This comes on top of extensive existing EU sanctions, including a ban on oil imports from Syria. I entirely support these additional sanctions and the statements of High Representative Ashton on Syria, including on 2 December.
Ireland also fully supports implementation of the sanctions, including an asset freeze and an embargo on investments, imposed by the Arab League on Syria on 27 November. The Government, together with its EU partners, welcomes the leadership which has been shown by the Arab League in tackling the crisis caused by the Syrian regime's lethal repression against its own citizens. The Arab League has brought forward a plan which provides for the withdrawal of all Syrian forces from besieged towns and cities, for the release of all detainees 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.
At UN level, there have been clear calls from an overwhelming majority of UN member states, including Ireland, for an end to the violence and human rights abuses in Syria, most recently in a resolution which was adopted by the General Assembly on 19 December. However, it is disappointing that the Security Council has still, after all this time, been unable to agree a robust Resolution on Syria to bring further pressure to bear on President Assad and I hope that it will soon be able to do so. I call upon Security Council members with influence on President Assad to seek to persuade him to immediately relinquish power in order that a political transition may begin.
Ireland and its EU partners, working with the UN, the Arab League and international partners such as the US and Turkey, are determined to maintain strong and united political pressure on the Syrian regime until it ends the violent repression against its own people and begins a process of transition.