Taoiseach Simon Harris emphasised cooperation with Luxembourg on cross-border issues and enlarging the EU as he welcomed its Prime Minister to Dublin.
Luc Frieden is one of the first EU leaders to visit Dublin since Mr Harris became Taoiseach, which he thanked him for at a one-on-one meeting at Farmleigh House during which they discussed issues including Ukraine and the Middle East.
Mr Frieden said he was an admirer of Ireland and said that at the European Council, “the voice of Ireland is heard”.
In his message in the visitors’ book, he thanked Mr Harris for the “warm” welcome and declared: “This is the beginning of a new alliance of European partners.”
“It is my intention to bring a new spirit and to deepen the alliance between Ireland and Luxembourg,” he later told a press conference, adding that the two countries shared values on the importance of rule of law, enlargement of the EU, and an emphasis on “cross-border dimensions”.
“We very much share the view on Ukraine,” Mr Frieden said.
“We need to be on the side of Ukraine, because it’s about not only helping somebody who has been brutally and illegally attacked, but it’s also about this fundamental principles of international law we just talked about – you cannot change borders by force.”
He added: “On the Middle East, I share the Taoiseach’s view that the human suffering is extreme. And we, of course, support all the efforts to bring about a ceasefire in the short term.
“It’s extremely important that all the remaining hostages are as soon as possible liberated.”
Mr Harris said that there was a need to see an immediate and lasting ceasefire between Israelis and Palestinians and said that it was his view that countries should use “all leavers at our disposal” to allow a peace deal to happen.
He said the EU must “constantly be restless” in deciding whether to use every option it has to determination to create an environment in which a ceasefire takes place.
“Because the scale of humanitarian catastrophe is almost unimaginable.”
Mr Frieden said there was no difference between Ireland and Luxembourg on Palestine other than “the difference of timing”.
He said that although Israel has a right to defend itself, “it’s clearly not anymore an element of of reacting, of defending yourself”.
“We, Luxembourg, believe in a two-state solution and obviously, if you believe in two-state solution, we need to recognise the two states.
“We believe that that moment of recognition has to be part of a broader package in which, for instance, ceasefire, a release of the hostages is part of that, and we are coordinating our position with some of our direct geographical neighbours.
“I do believe that that has to come, this recognition.
“It has to come in the near future, but as part of a process.”
