ANKARA/ISTANBUL

Ireland's Ambassador to Türkiye, Clare Brosnan, criticized US President Donald Trump's plan to forcibly relocate Gazans.

"It is important to say that we do not believe that the Palestinians should be forced to leave their country,” she told Anadolu where she discussed issues, including Turkish-Irish relations, Türkiye’s EU membership process and the situation in Palestine.

She highlighted similarities between St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Ireland and the Muslim month of Ramadan, noting both bring people together with a sense of gratitude.

Brosnan said experiencing Ramadan and attending iftar meals in Türkiye was very special to her.

She emphasized the importance of St. Patrick's Day for the Irish, pointing out that many aspects of Irish culture, such as music and literature, are celebrated on that day.

Turkish-Irish relations

Brosnan emphasized the strong ties between citizens of Türkiye and Ireland, noting that many Irish tourists visit Türkiye each year, while many Turks live, work and study in Ireland.

She pointed out that relations between the two countries are also solid and highlighted the importance of multilateralism, citing that Türkiye and Ireland are committed to strong multilateral organizations and rule-based international order.

“This has been a critical period in neighboring regions and Ireland is very committed to supporting efforts in terms of multilateralism with Türkiye," said Brosnan.

Noting that the foreign ministers of the two countries met last month during a G20 foreign ministers' meeting, Brosnan noted that it was a sign of their commitment to multilateralism.

"We have an excellent relationship with Türkiye in terms of trade, politics and in terms of our people-to-people links," she said, adding she wants to strengthen the relations during her tenure as ambassador.

Brosnan also noted that her country promotes cultural exchange between the two nations.

 Türkiye's EU membership process

Asked if Ireland supports Türkiye's EU accession, Brosnan said her country is in favor of EU enlargement and "every country who is a candidate that meets the criteria should be supported."

She emphasized that Dublin wants to continue cooperation and partnership with Türkiye, which is in the process of EU membership. "There has been some positive momentum in terms of cooperation between the EU and Türkiye and Ireland is very supportive of recent improvements and continued good relations between the EU and Türkiye,” she said.

US-Europe relations

In response to a question about tension between European countries and the US, Brosnan said one of the key messages from a St. Patrick's Day event in Washington, attended by Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin and US President Donald Trump, was that "Europe, Ireland and the US, will continue to work together."

While acknowledging disagreements that need to be addressed, Brosnan pointed out that those differences do not prevent effective cooperation.

Asked if she was bothered by the US' stance, Brosnan replied: "There are clearly things that we do not always agree on, but this occurs with many countries. We don't have to agree on everything in order to still work well together and to cooperate. This is the nature of international relations, being your own country and working closely with others."

Russia-Ukraine war

On the Russia-Ukraine war, Brosnan described the US’ 30-day ceasefire proposal as a “moment of opportunity” for a peaceful resolution. She stressed the importance of international support for this initiative.

She expressed appreciation for Türkiye's past role as a mediator between the two countries and hoped the initiative would gain momentum.

Brosnan highlighted the importance of peace for the people in Ukraine and around the world, stressing the need for an end to violence and conflict. She urged Russia to engage in a ceasefire with Ukraine.

Brosnan stated that it is essential to maintain hope for peace in Ukraine and emphasized that a sustainable peaceful solution is possible, which her country will fully support.

Trump's Gaza plan

On whether she found Trump's plan to "forcefully displace Gazans" ethical, Brosnan said: "It is important to say that we do not believe that the Palestinians should be forced to leave their country."

"It is important that we support a two-state solution, even though there are real challenges around that, and it is important in particular, that we support humanitarian and peaceful solutions for Palestine," she said.

Brosnan expressed support for a humanitarian and peaceful solution for Palestinians, Israelis and Gazans, and emphasized that Ireland would continue to share its views with the international community to support Palestine's future.

The ambassador stressed that Palestinians should be supported in their own homes without being displaced.

New Syrian government

Brosnan expressed hope that the new government in Syria would bring a "peaceful and stable solution" to that country and it would be supported by the EU and the international community. She stated that the solution should be "inclusive and that one that respects the territorial integrity."

Brosnan noted that it is important for sanctions on Syria to be lifted in an "appropriate way,” and that it is “also important that they could be reversible." "We are working within the EU to look at sanctions lifting in a step-by-step way, and this is something that we will continue to work on as is appropriate," she said.