Jul 13 2020
Greece’s minister of foreign affairs will ask the EU on Monday (13 July) for a list of potential sanctions against Turkey in case Ankara violates Greek territory. However, EU sources said last week that dialogue should be prioritised in the face of Turkey’s increasingly defiant behaviour.
EU foreign affairs ministers will gather in Brussels on Monday at a meeting primarily focused on Turkey. All EU-Turkey open issues will be raised, from the illegal drillings in the Mediterranean to Turkey’s involvement in Libya and Syria.
“We [Greece and Cyprus] call on the EU to have a list of strong sanctions in case it [Turkey] violates the sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus,” Minister Nikos Dendias said.
But for the Commission, the imposition of sanctions is, “in principle”, not on the table.
“Any minister who wants to can raise the issue of sanctions. But the primary goal of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell is to receive a clear and unanimous mandate from member states to start a dialogue with Ankara,” sources said.
For Brussels, the first priority is to reach an agreement when it comes to Turkey’s announced illegal drillings for oil and gas in the Mediterranean, which involve territorial waters of Greece and Cyprus.
Borrell is expected to present “concrete ideas” on this matter, as Brussels believes that if a solution is found, this would eventually help unlock other issues related to the Turkish involvement in Syria.
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