European Union (EU) Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell held a virtual meeting on August 14, wherein the foreign ministers of the member states of the EU convened to discuss the situations in the Eastern Mediterranean and Belarus. They also briefly discussed EU’s assistance in Lebanon and their support for peace-processes in Venezuela and Bolivia.
In the Eastern Mediterranean, Athens and Ankara have locked heads over their claims for hydrocarbon resources in the region. Previously, Turkey decided to suspend drilling in the area as a gesture of goodwill for the ongoing negotiations between the two neighbours, mediated by Germany, which aimed to find a solution to their differences in the Eastern Mediterranean. However, tensions were reignited after Greece signed a maritime demarcation agreement with Egypt, to create an exclusive economic zone (EEZ)—which can extend up to 200 nautical miles—in the waters that contain oil and gas reserves. Ankara immediately condemned the deal as an infringement on Turkey’s continental shelf. In a statement, the Turkish foreign ministry said: “A maritime boundary between Greece and Egypt does not exist. With respect to Turkey, the so-called maritime delimitation agreement is null and void. This understanding will reflect on the ground and at the table.” Turkey, it vowed, “will not allow any activity at the area in question and will resolutely continue to defend its legitimate rights and interests as well as those of the Turkish Cypriots in the eastern Mediterranean”.
Also Read: Greece Slams Turkey’s Announcement of Exploratory Drilling in Disputed Waters
In response to the growing hostility between Greece and Turkey, the EU foreign ministers decided to adopt a three-pronged strategy: solidarity, de-escalation, and dialogue. In a statement following the meeting, the ministers expressed their solidarity to Greece and Cyprus, stressing on the importance of respecting the sovereign rights of the member states of the EU. The statement also said that worsening relations with Turkey is highly problematic for the interests of the entire EU.
Moreover, the ministers urged Turkey to work towards de-escalation of the situation, as the “recent naval mobilisations by Turkey do not contribute to finding any solutions”. Instead, they are causing “greater antagonism and distrust,” they said. Finally, the foreign ministers highlighted the importance of protecting friendly relations with Turkey, and reiterated that the maritime dispute should only be resolved through “dialogue and negotiation” that respects international law.
The ministers also discussed the developments in Belarus following the Presidential elections, which were conducted on August 9. After a state TV exit poll said that longtime leader Alexander Lukashenko had secured a landslide victory against his main challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya with 79.7% of the vote, clashes erupted between protesters and riot police in Minsk and other cities in Belarus last Sunday.
Also Read: Clashes Erupt After Belarus Election, as Polls Predict Victory for Incumbent Lukashenko
The statement said that the EU urges the authorities in Belarus to put an end to the “disproportionate and unacceptable” violence being propagated against the protestors. The ministers also called for the release of the persons that were unlawfully detained and were being subject to “inhumane treatment and detention conditions”. The EU’s foreign ministers also supported the call for a “democratic change” in Belarus and said that the August 9 elections were “neither free nor fair” as they were “falsified”. In light of the human rights violations by Belarus’ authorities, the statement also said that the ministers were considering sanctions against the individuals responsible for “violence, repression and the falsification of election results”. However, the exact scope of these sanctions is yet to be determined.
Ministers of Austria, Sweden, Germany, and Switzerland called for the imposition of strict sanctions against Belarus. However, Hungary led the faction that called for a softer approach, which is focussed on negotiation and reconciling the differences between Lukashenko and the opposition leaders in the country. This approach was supported by the Czech Republic, Denmark, and the Baltic states.