Brussels, 28/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 27 January, Latvia's foreign minister, Edgars Rinkevics, stated that there are not due to be any conclusive decisions on sanctions against Russia at the extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council on Thursday 29 January, but that there could be a request to prepare these sanctions.
“I want to say right away that there will be no conclusive decisions on specific sanctions this Thursday. Most probably, a task will be given to prepare proposals, on which the Foreign Affairs Council might decide on 9 February”, Rinkevics told journalists in Riga.
The European Council on 12 February could also take decisions, Rinkevics added. “The ministers will hold a political debate. They will define the way to follow”, said a European source. “European ministers will discuss the measures to take with a view to achieving full implementation of the Minsk agreements as quickly as possible, which is the only way of bringing about a peaceful and sustainable settlement of the crisis”, said the spokesperson for France's ministry of foreign affairs.
According to the EU Observer website, the draft conclusions sent to the EU member states by the European External Action Service (EEAS) on Wednesday 28 January nevertheless state that “in view of the worsening situation, the [EU] Council agrees to extend the restrictive measures targeting persons and entities for threatening or undermining Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity”. In the draft conclusions, the Council reportedly calls on the EEAS and the European Commission to present a proposal for decision “within a week” “on additional listings”. The foreign ministers reportedly also ask the EEAS and Commission to undertake “preparatory work (…) on further restrictive measures” in the economic sphere.
A source at the Commission stated that the preparatory work had already taken place and that, should the ministries request it, proposals could be made quickly.
Such a request would require unanimity from the member states. According to sources quoted by Greek daily newspaper Kathimerini, the new Greek government is said to plan on vetoing any new restrictions on Russia. Greece's new foreign minister, Nikos Kotzias, who will attend the Council, would reportedly like closer relations between Athens and Moscow.
Greece opposed to joint statement. The office of Greece's new prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, has criticised the joint statement from the heads of state and government. “The statement of heads of state and government of the EU published today was circulated without the proper procedures being followed in order to obtain the consent of member states and specifically Greece's consent.” “Within this context we clarify that it does not have our country's consent”, announced the prime minister's office. According to Kathimerini, Athens is said to have requested publication of the joint statement to be delayed on Wednesday 28 January so as to enable an in-depth assessment, which has not been made.
The Council spokesperson told EUROPE, however, that such a request from Athens has not been made. For a joint statement to be valid, it is sent to the member states and validated at the end of an allotted time if there is no opposition. No member state was opposed to the statement on Monday evening, but on Tuesday morning Tsipras' sherpa said that Greece had an issue with the text - without giving further detail. The Council reportedly proposed a note at the bottom of the page stating that the text was approved by 27 and not 28 member states, but the sherpa apparently refused. The Council's spokesperson also said that the statement had initially been sent to the sherpa of the former prime minister, Antonis Samaras, and of the new one, Alexis Tsipras.
The Greek prime minister's office stated that Tsipras had expressed the government's “displeasure” during his phone conversation with High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini on 27 January. (CG)