EU to discuss new names for further sanctions against Turkey

EU Foreign Ministers agreed at the Foreign Affairs Council held Monday in Brussels that the Working Party of Foreign Relations Counsellors (RELEX) that convenes on Thursday should discuss imposing further sanctions against Turkey in view of its provocations in the Cyprus EEZ.

During the Foreign Affairs Council, it appears that the EU’s Foreign Affairs chief Josep Borrell was not instructed to enter negotiations with Turkey, but was rather asked to look into ways of toning down tensions with the country strictly on the basis of conclusions reached by the Council so far.

In view of Turkey’s drilling designs in the Cyprus EEZ and other aggressive behaviour displayed against Greece, EU Foreign Ministers also agreed to request that the European External Action Service prepares a document containing options for further measures against Turkey. Efforts are expected to focus on Cyprus’ proposal for additional sanctions based previous Council conclusions.

The discussion regarding the future of EU-Turkey relations will be picked up during the informal meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers in Berlin in August.