The EU Foreign Affairs Council met yesterday where they discussed a range of issues including potential sanctions against Turkey over their unilateral actions in Varosha, Cyprus.
According to an announcement, the Council considered the impact of the unilateral actions taken in July 2021 by Turkish Cypriots and Turkey in breach of UN Security Council Resolutions. Member states expressed their solidarity vis-a-vis Cyprus and their support for the UN-led negotiation process, and for the new Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus Colin Stewart.
It was agreed that Coreper (the Committee of Permanent Representatives in the European Union) would further evaluate the options on the table, which also include the creation of a specific sanctions regime focused on persons and entities having a direct involvement in the opening of part of Varosha after July 2021.
The EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs restated that it is essential that Turkey re-engages seriously in the UN process and refrains from any action that would further deteriorate the situation on the ground.