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EU FMs discuss imposing arms embargo on Turkey

EU foreign ministers meeting
EU foreign ministers meeting
BRUSSELS, Oct 14 (KUNA) -- European Union Foreign Ministers Monday began their formal meeting in Luxembourg with the focus on Turkey's military operations in northern Syria and the possibility of imposing an arms embargo on Turkey.
Talking to reporters ahead of the meeting, EU High Representative Federica Mogherini said, "We are mainly discussing the military operations in Syria. To me the most important point today will be the fact that we will be hosting the UN Special Envoy for Syria Pedersen and will discuss with him how we can help protecting the political process from this military escalation." EU member states will discuss how far they are ready to go on some measures that are on the table when it comes to the Turkish military activities in Syria but also the drillings in Cyprus, she added.
On his part, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said "several member states of the EU, especially Germany and France, have already told Turkey that we will end arms exports and we will possibly take further measures because this is such a destabilisation of the region which has consequences far beyond that region, affecting our security interests in Europe, and we will not allow something like this." French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said "France is expecting many things from this meeting, first a condemnation of Turkish attacks and an urgent demand to stop these attacks, certainly a firm position regarding arms exports to Turkey, but above all we want this meeting to push the United States to ask for a meeting of the international coalition against Daesh." Meanwhile, Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said Belgium has stopped the gun supply to Turkey, "so I think it important to reach an embargo on guns supplied to Turkey.
"Moreover, we will examine other pressure means, the aim today being to reach a consensus amongst all member-States," he said.
Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said, "The arms embargo already decided by Germany, France, Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands is good but Erdogan is not getting his weapons from these countries." Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said, "The essential step now is arms embargo, we Austrians think that we should ideally set an EU arms embargo or otherwise a joint embargo by all member states, I think that would send a clear signal from the EU but also from NATO members to their NATO partner Turkey". (end) nk.hb