Cyprus has relayed to the EU its proposals for economic and trade sanctions on Turkey over the latter’s maritime provocations, the government said Thursday.
Government spokesman Kyriacos Kousios told the state broadcaster that Nicosia has communicated in writing the proposals to Josep Borrell, the EU’s High-Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security.
“We expect these to be discussed at the next informal EU Foreign Affairs Council,” he noted, referring to the meeting scheduled for late September.
Citing sources, CyBC said the sanctions proposed by Cyprus include steps against companies and individuals engaged in Turkish drilling activities in the island’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Cyprus and Greece are pushing for tangible EU sanctions against Turkey over its increasingly aggressive posture in disputing both countries’ maritime jurisdictions.
To date, the bloc has been reluctant take punitive actions against Ankara in any meaningful way – reflecting the different agendas among its member states.
Also on Thursday evening, France’s President Emmanuel Macron said Europe must protect its members’ sovereignty in the eastern Mediterranean when it is cast into doubt.
Macron noted that France and Germany would act in a coordinated way and that both countries want a de-escalation of tensions and respect for sovereignty.
He was speaking at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in southern France.
Macron has been pushing within the 27-member bloc for Brussels to take a stronger line on Turkey, particularly in the eastern Mediterranean.
Earlier this month France boosted its military presence in the region amid flaring tensions between Athens and Ankara after the Turkish seismic research vessel the Oruc Reis was sent into waters off eastern Greek islands.
For her part, Merkel said of the eastern Mediterranean that it was important Europe spoke with one voice while seeking a multilateral solution to the tensions.
President of the European Council Charles Michel has called for a physical meeting of the Council for the EU27 to discuss the situation with Turkey in depth.
Michel also spoke of “various options on the table.”
Tensions have risen in the Aegean in recent weeks, with close encounters between Turkish and Greek military ships. At stake are the maritime jurisdictions of the two countries, which determine which areas each can carry out drilling for natural gas.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriacos Mitsotakis said his country would not back down, but also invited Turkey to dialogue.
“My message to Turkey is very simple – stop the provocations and let’s start talking like civilised neighbours,” Mitsotakis said in an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour.
Turkey’s energy minister Fatih Donmez meanwhile accused Athens of ‘hiding’ behind its allies in the EU.
“Because lately Greece has been unable to demonstrate presence in the field [in the seas], it is trying to justify itself by hiding behind certain foreign powers like the EU,” Donmez was quoted as saying by the Anadolu news agency.
The Turkish minister said his country is open to talks with Greece on delimiting their respective continental shelfs.
“We do not prey on anyone’s rights or wealth. But let no one else prey on our areas of jurisdiction,” he said.
Donmez reiterated that Greece was being unreasonable with some of its positions – such as the that the island of Kastellorizo, located 580 km from mainland Greece but only 2km from Turkish shores, has its own continental shelf and therefore is an extension of Greece’s continental shelf as a whole.
