IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu issued a statement evaluating the EU Foreign Affairs Council conclusions of 11 November 2019 on Turkey’s East Med hydrocarbon drilling activities. IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu made the following remarks:

“Following its scandalous conclusions of 15 July and 14 October 2019, the EU Foreign Affairs Council has moved one step further and adopted a framework for sanctions concerning Turkey's drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean. As one can recall, the EU Foreign Affairs Conclusions of 14 October, which were also later endorsed by the European Council, have tasked the EU External Action Service and the European Commission with establishing a framework for restrictive measures. The sanction framework adopted on 11 November is a direct follow up of these conclusions. The adopted framework will lay the groundwork for the EU to impose restrictive measures, such as a travel ban and an asset freeze on natural persons and legal entities linked to Turkey's drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean. In addition, under the framework, natural persons and legal entities in the EU would be prohibited from disbursing funds to individuals and institutions that would be on the sanctions list. In the coming period, the EU could identify persons or institutions names to be included in the scope of restrictive measures. ”

IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu continued his remarks as follows:

“The EU, which has lost its objectivity regarding the Cyprus issue, continues to lend unconditional support to the Greek Cypriot side under ‘member state solidarity’ against Turkey’s drilling activities, which Turkey conducts to protect within its legitimate rights emanating from the continental shelf as well as those of the Turkish Cypriots who are the co-owners of the island’s natural resources. It is very unfortunate that such a decision was taken in the run up to the tripartite meeting the two parties on the island are set to have with UN Secretary-General Guterres on 25 November in Berlin. The fact that the EU is playing the sanction card rather than coming up with constructive solutions is not only increasing tension in the already strained relations between Turkey and the EU, but it also renders a Cyprus settlement even more difficult.”