Brussels, 14/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 17 March, the foreign affairs ministers of the EU could adopt targeted sanctions against individuals responsible for threats to the territorial integrity of Ukraine. This complies with the three-stage plan adopted by their heads of state and government on 6 March (see EUROPE 11033).
Under this plan, in the absence of dialogue between the Russian and Ukrainian governments leading to results, “the EU will take position on additional measures such as travel bans, a freezing of assets and the cancellation of the EU-Russia summit”. The adoption of sanctions requires unanimity within the Council. “If it is noted that the conditions have been met because there is no deescalation, we could move to a decision on Monday”, a senior EU official explained on Friday 14 March. “We can possibly talk of consolidation (on the ground), but there has been no deescalation”, he added. “We can be honest, subject to what will happen today (Ed: on Friday, during talks in London between the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, and the American Secretary of State John Kerry) and Sunday (with the referendum in Crimea), we are not really seeing a deescalation and it is a euphemism”, a diplomat from a member state confirmed. Ministers could take the decision to adopt sanctions or leave the decision up to their heads of state and government, who are meeting on 20-21 March, a senior figure stated.
On Friday 14 March, the preparatory work for these sanctions was still underway. Although several media named names or numbers of people - up to a hundred or more - who could be sanctioned, a number of European sources explained that at this stage, no list was in circulation, but that one would be ready by 17 March to be put to the ministers. “We will wait until the last minute and make a decision on the content, also taking account of what will happen on Sunday” in the referendum, another diplomat explained. “We'll be ready on Monday morning for a decision” of the ministers, a senior European official stated. “The work is underway on mastering the criteria (the sanctions) in order to have a weighty legal basis” and avoid recourse to justice, he explained. According to a diplomat from one member state, the sanctions will target “individuals with direct responsibility for threats to the territorial integrity of Ukraine”.
If sanctions are taken, they could be published in the Official Journal on Monday, if the technical details allow, and therefore not the day after (as is usually the case). The Council could also decide to cancel the EU-Russia summit, which is scheduled to be held during the summer.
The ministers will also discuss the possible signature, at the European Council of 20 and 21 March, of the political chapters of the association agreement with Ukraine. The work on the draft proposals for the signature was still underway on Friday 14 March and will be put to the ministers. The plank on the deep and comprehensive free-trade zone will be signed later, a senior Union official announced.
Bosnia, Syria, Middle East and Africa also on the agenda of Council. The foreign affairs ministers will also discuss the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina following the violent demonstrations in the country in January and the visits by Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle and High Representative Catherine Ashton. They will also discuss the crisis in Syria, which will have been ongoing for three years come March, in its humanitarian dimensions but also its political ones, and the destruction of chemical weaponry. The Council will discuss the peace process in the Middle East and Ashton will present an overview of the measures the EU could take to support the peace negotiations. Ministers will also be informed of the state of preparations for the fourth EU-Africa summit to be held in Brussels on 2 and 3 April on the theme “Investing in people, for prosperity and for peace”. Ashton is also expected to report back briefly to the ministers on her trip to Iran, with negotiations on the Iranian nuclear dossier to resume on 18 March. Over lunch, the ministers will carry out an exchange of views on diplomacy in energy matters, at a session which will be attended by Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger.
This Council is expected to adopt a range of decisions without debate - for example, the Council is to make a decision to create a European voluntary human aid corps, as provided for by the Treaty of Lisbon. In the context of increasing acts of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, the Council will adopt the EU's strategy for this region and invite the European Commission and the EEAS to propose concrete actions. Conclusions on the implementation of the EU strategy for security and development in the Sahel will also be adopted. The Council will adopt conclusions on the EPA for development in West Africa (PAPED), the situation in South Sudan and the Central African Republic. (CG and JK)