Press release
Statement by the Taoiseach on the situation in Syria
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
Taoiseach Simon Harris says the fall of the Assad dictatorship in Syria is to be welcomed, but the world must now act to prevent chaos and tyranny from filling the vacuum.
The Taoiseach said:
“The scenes we are seeing across Syria, including in Damascus, are truly historic. The people of Syria have long wanted a future free of isolation and full of normalised relations with their neighbours and world powers. That now must be the goal of the UN, the Arab League and us in the European Union.
“In the immediate days, weeks and months ahead the protection of civilian lives and infrastructure and the respecting of international law must be paramount. We are talking about a country of more than 23 million people brutalised by war, terror and decades of dictatorship."
The Taoiseach added:
“Irish troops concluded a decade of peacekeeping through UNDOF in Syria earlier this year and the suffering and hardship endured by the Syrian people was plain to see during our time in the country. A once in a generation opportunity for regime change is now upon us. The future of Syria must be determined by Syrians through a peaceful transition as well as free and fair elections.”