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Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has announced additional aid of €1 million to help Syrian refugees in Turkey.

The Tánaiste, who is currently leading a four-day trade mission to Turkey, this morning visited a camp for those fleeing the violence in Syria near the Turkish-Syrian border.

Over 400,000 Syrians have crossed the border into Turkey to escape the unrelenting violence of the Assad regime that has killed more than 70,000 people over the past two years.

Speaking in Nizip, the Tánaiste said he wanted to demonstrate Ireland's support for the generous humanitarian response of the Turkish Government in providing for these people:

The widespread and indiscriminate violence inside Syria has forced well over a million people to take refuge in neighbouring countries while another four million people who remain in Syria are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

Without the responsible, principled and charitable actions of neighbouring countries, the suffering of Syria’s traumatised civilians would be even greater. When I met with Foreign Minister Davutoglu yesterday I told him that Ireland recognises Turkey’s generosity at this time of great tragedy for the Syrian people, and I urged him to maintain Turkey's open-door policy.

With the dramatic increase in the numbers of Syrians seeking refuge in Turkey in recent months, supporting the country in its humanitarian efforts is crucial if the critical needs of Syrians are to be met.

The Tánaiste also reiterated Ireland’s strong support for international efforts to respond to the crisis.

Read the full press release

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