Sir, – With Syria relinquishing its chemical arsenal, should we cheer or weep that cruise missiles are keeping the world safe for conventional weapons? – Yours, etc,
Dr JOHN DOHERTY,
Operngasse,
Vienna.
Sir, – There are brief fragile windows in most conflicts when peace becomes possible. The Russian initiative on Syrian chemical weapons opened up such an opportunity. The statement by the Syrian deputy prime minister Qadri Jamil (Breaking News, September 19th) that the Syrian conflict has reached a stalemate and the Syrian government will call for a ceasefire at the forthcoming Geneva conference is an opportunity for peace that must be actively supported. If these initiatives fail disaster looms for the people of Syria.
Mr Jamil stated that a ceasefire would have to be kept under international observation, which could be provided by monitors or UN peacekeepers – “as long as they came from neutral or friendly countries”. Ireland could play a vital role in this peacekeeping process. We have had Irish UN observers based in Syria and the Syrian Golan heights in the past, as well as a long history of Irish troops and observers in Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and Egypt.
In cases such as this, the quick deployment of the initial phase of the peacekeeping forces becomes very important and can involve the transfer of existing UN troops from neighbouring missions. This happened in 1973 when four battalions of UN troops, including an Irish unit, with which I was serving, were transferred from Cyprus into the Sinai desert to form a successful buffer zone between the armies of Israel and Egypt.
If UN peacekeepers are required for Syria, Irish/UN troops in Lebanon and the soldiers on standby to go the Golan Heights could be quickly relocated to a new Syrian peacekeeping mission. Of course there would be dangers, but our brothers and sisters in Syria urgently deserve that their own military and militias and the international community shift from warmongering to peace-mongering. – Yours, etc,
EDWARD HORGAN,
Newtown,
Castletroy, Limerick.