All EU efforts are focused on deescalation and dialog in order to avoid tension and military conflict between Greece and Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean, Peter Stano, EC and EEAS Spokesman told the Press today in Brussels.
Invited to comment on a potential EU “Plan B”, Peter Stano notes that “the long standing policy of the EU in external affairs, has been always that we should follow plan A, and plan B is actually to avoid having a plan B, or to avoid the situation where plan B is needed.
So, we are focused on doing whatever we can, we are focusing all our energy, all our attention to achieve 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.
That is why all our efforts are focused on deescalation and dialog and this is what is going on right now”.
In relation, to a potential triggering of article 42 of the Treaty of the European Union, on defence solidarity, Peter Stano said that “triggering of article 42 is a possibility for the individual member states, it is not triggered by the institutions.
This article provides for solidarity by the Member States under clearly defined conditions, but the question for triggering, when and how, is more for the Member State who can make use of this article if they deem it necessary.
But at this stage all efforts, all communications, all activities are focused on deescalating the tension and starting the dialog to find peaceful and calm solutions as two partners should have – two partners meaning the EU and Turkey.”
(CNA)
