Statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern T.D., on the adoption of UN Resolution 1701
I very much welcome the adoption by the Security Council of Resolution 1701, which calls for a complete end to hostilities in Lebanon and Israel, and sets out a range of principles and other measures with the aim of ensuring that this crisis is not repeated in the future.
This important development brings us appreciably closer to the cessation of violence which has been the Government's priority from the outset. It has taken more time and many more casualties than I had hoped to reach this stage, and has required difficult compromises for all parties, but it is important that we have now reached a broad international consensus on how to resolve the crisis.
There is a lot more work still to do. It has unfortunately always been much easier to start conflict in this area than to stop it. I again urge all sides now to cease hostilities immediately. And I urge all those who have influence with the parties to use that influence now to bring this about, and to encourage them to take all necessary steps to ensure a permanent end to the violence.
ENDS +++
12 August 2006
Press Office
