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EU may hive off Crimea from Russia sanctions debate

15 January 2015, 21:04 CET
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EU may hive off Crimea from Russia sanctions debate

Federica Mogherini - Photo © European Union 2014 - Source EP

(BRUSSELS) - The EU should consider leaving the annexation of Crimea out of the debate over sanctions as part of a move to re-engage with Russia, according to a policy paper seen by AFP Thursday.

The paper drawn up by the office of the bloc's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini ahead of talks between the 28-nation EU's foreign ministers next week proposes a new way forward to try end the nearly year-long standoff between Russia and the West over Ukraine.

It suggests that the "possible elements for selective and gradual re-engagement" with Moscow could focus on global foreign policy issues, trade and cooperation in areas such as energy, visa arrangements and climate change.

But the paper insists that steps to re-engage with Russia, one of Europe's main trading partners, "would not mean a return to 'business as usual'".

Instead any change would be dependent on progress on the implementation of September's Minsk peace accord, which aim to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine, in which more than 4,700 people have died.

One major step suggested in the document, as a way of moving forward the debate, was the "differentiation between the Crimea-related sanctions and sanctions related to the destabilisation of Eastern Ukraine".

The move would be a tacit acceptance that Russia's March 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula, which President Vladimir Putin has described as "sacred" to Moscow, is unlikely to be reversed anytime soon.

The Minsk peace plan does not itself mention Crimea.

The EU imposed limited economic sanctions after the annexation of Crimea, with more stringent measures following the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in July.

Further sanctions on Russia followed in September, with another smaller round solely targeting Crimea in December.

Mogherini hinted at the prospect of re-engagement on Wednesday, when she told the European Parliament that the EU should think about "positive leverage" with Russia, instead of just slapping on more sanctions.

The EU has struggled with divisions on Russia as the crisis in Ukraine has worn on.

Poland and the former Soviet Baltic states have taken a hawkish stance as a resurgent Russia launches a growing number of incursions into their airspace.

But some other eastern European nations complain they are suffering economic damage from the stand-off and fear for the security of vital gas supplies from Russia.

Foreign Affairs Council, 19/01/2015


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