EU focusing on East Med de-escalation

Every EU effort is focused on de-escalation and dialogue to avoid military conflict between Greece and Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean over energy and maritime rights, said Commission spokesman Peter Stano.

Stano said there was no plan B because plan A had to work to avoid a worsening crisis in the region.

“The long-standing policy of the EU in external affairs has been always that we should follow the plan A, and the plan B is actually to avoid to have a plan B or to avoid the situation where plan B is needed.

“We are focusing all our energy, all our attention to achieving a solution which will prevent the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean from escalating even more, to something that basically no one wants to see, because it is in no one’s interest to see some even more dramatic escalation and unfortunate events.”

In relation to a potential triggering of article 42 of the Treaty of the European Union, on defence solidarity, Stano said that “is a possibility for the individual member states, it is not triggered by the institutions”.

He said the article provides for solidarity by the member states under clearly defined conditions, but the question for triggering, when and how, is up to each individual country.

“But at this stage, all the efforts, all the communications, all the activities are focused on de-escalating the tension and starting the dialogue to find peaceful and calm solutions as two partners should have – two partners meaning the EU and Turkey”.

Last week, Brussels said it was preparing to impose sanctions on Turkey – including tough economic measures – unless progress is made in reducing soaring tensions with Greece and Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey slammed the EU threat as “hypocritical” and said it would continue with its energy exploration activity off Greece and Cyprus.