The EU condemns Turkey's Syria operation, agrees sanctions plan over Cyprus

The EU condemns Turkey's Syria operation, agrees sanctions plan over Cyprus
October 14, 2019, 12:23 pm

The EU also agreed a sanctions framework over Turkey's drilling for gas in Cypriot territory, action it condemns.

The European Union on Monday condemned Turkey’s operation in northeastern Syria as a direct threat to the security and stability of the region.

“The EU condemns Turkey’s military action which seriously undermines the stability and the security of the whole region,” the bloc said in a joint statement at a meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg.

“Member states commit to strong national positions regarding their arms export policy to Turkey,” added EU foreign ministers.

The Turkish operation increases the suffering of Syrian civilians and hinders the delivery of aid, the statement added, saying that the offensive decreases the chance of a successful political settlement to the war in Syria.

The European Council, the grouping of the EU’s 28 governments, said in a statement that Turkey’s military action in northern Syria had “dramatic consequences” and noted that some EU countries had halted arms exports.

The organization also agreed a sanctions framework over Turkey’s drilling for oil and gas in waters off Cyprus, action it condemns.

On Monday NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg similarly criticized Turkey's military operation, saying that it risked further escalation in the region. Turkey is a NATO member.

As Turkish forces continued their assault on positions held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeastern Syria, Syrian government forces have deployed to the towns of Ain Issa and Tabqa in northern Syria, state media and the Syrian Observatory reported on Monday.

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