The EU 28 Foreign Affairs Ministers decided to task RELEX, the relevant Council Working Group, to expedite the compilation of the list of persons and entities subject to the EU sanctions concerning Turkey’s illegal drilling operations in the eastern Mediterranean.
Μore specifically the High Representative stated the following: “In light of the new Turkish illegal drilling in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus, the Council invites the relevant Working Party to expedite and finalize its work as regards the listings of natural persons and entities involved in the aforesaid illegal activities”.
“The Council invites the relevant Working Party to expedite and finalize its work as regards the listings of natural persons and entities involved in the aforesaid illegal activities.”
The High Representative presided over the regular FAC meeting and informed the Press in Brussels that the discussion was concluded without decisions but with appropriate preparations for the next steps of the EU in parallel with the implementation of the decisions of the Berlin Conference on Libya.
“We discussed Libya but no decisions”, emphasized Borell, welcoming the outcome of the Berlin conference, where “the whole Security Council was involved”.
“The ceasefire is not a prerequisite for launching an EU operation to oversee the enforcement of the arms embargo.”
He stressed that “we are in a truce, but not even a complete ceasefire” and said that both sides have appointed 5 negotiators that will agree on the ceasefire. However, the ceasefire is not a prerequisite for launching an EU operation to oversee the enforcement of the arms embargo, such as the Sofia operation. The Sofia operation is to be re-activated, but as explained by Borell, with a redefinition of its mission.
Borrell emphasized that the Ministers were briefed and exchanged information and appointed working groups dealing with individual aspects of the issue with the mandate to reach an outcome ahead of the next Foreign Affairs Council.
[…] EU 28 decided to task RELEX working group to expedite the… […]