Mediaboss Marketing

BRUSSELS: European Union foreign ministers will discuss Monday hitting Russia with fresh sanctions over the Ukraine crisis, but they must keep the door open to Moscow, new foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said.

The ministers met in Brussels against a backdrop of fresh fighting in eastern Ukraine despite a September ceasefire between Kiev and pro-Moscow rebels, who also angered the west by holding elections on November 2.

"We will for sure discuss sanctions," said Mogherini as she arrived to meet Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin before chairing her first regular meeting of foreign ministers from the 28 EU nations.

"But sanctions in themselves are not an objective. They can be an instrument if they come together with other measures," she said.

The EU had to find a "a complete strategy" which included pushing Ukraine to adopt reforms, especially on restrcturing "civilian security", Mogherini said.

They would also discuss "how to relaunch or how to engage in a dialogue with Russia as European Union", she added.

The EU talks come on the heels of a glacial G20 summit in Brisbane that highlighted the deep rift between the West and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The sanctions to be discussed Monday would most likely be limited to adding individuals to the list of those already hit with travel bans and asset freezes, rather than wider economic measures, ministers said.

"We are ready to support these sanctions to physical persons and this will probably be one of the main points on the agenda," Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek told reporters.

He said wider sanctions would most likely be considered by EU leaders at a summit in December.

Read more:
European Union poised for fresh Russia sanctions over Ukraine

The European Union is contemplating a variety of measures that would punish Israel for its occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to an internal EU document obtained by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

Among the measures proposed in the document are sanctions against European companies that do business in Israeli-occupied settlements. The document also calls on the EU to reconsider funding or capacity-building activities indirectly helping to perpetuate the status quo of occupation and urges support, or non-opposition for Palestinian moves like applications to international organizations and seeking recognition. Moreover, the document proposes that European leaders consider recognizing Palestinian statehood, as more than 130 countries, including Sweden, have done.

The EU clearly intends the measures as a means of advancing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, for even as the document proposes punitive measures targeting Israel, it also leaves the door open to punishments for Palestinians in response to adverse actions.[T]he EU could continue to dissuade [the Palestinians] from moving ahead in the context of international organizations and use its leverage to that end, the document says. Additionally, the document suggests, in line with the more for more, less for less policy, that the EU distribute more funds to Israel in exchange for Israeli actions that move the peace process forward.

Though drafted by the EUsPolitical and Security Committee in Brussels, the impetus for the proposals contained in the document was actually a coordinated push by member state leaders in response to concerns over the failure of the peace process and the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A large group of member states pushed for this move after the failure of the talks between Israel and the Palestinians, and after the war in Gaza, European diplomats told Haaretz. The fact is that there is an agreement among all 28 member countries of the European Union to discuss measures against Israel, and that is what should worry the government in Jerusalem and the Israeli public. This paper will be handed over to the political echelon in Europe, which will decide which actions, if at all, to take, they added.

Update, 4:14 p.m.: The European Union is disputing the Haaretz report, according to Reuters. EU foreign policy chiefFederica Mogherini said Monday that the document obtained by Haaretz amounted to only a technical working hypothesis, and that the EU does not have plans to sanction Israel.

View post:
Updated: Is the European Union about to sanction Israel?

European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini addresses a news conference after meeting NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (unseen) at the European External Action Service (EEAS) building in Brussels November 4, 2014. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

By Adrian Croft and Robin Emmott

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union governments moved to put more Ukrainian separatists under asset freezes and travel bans on Monday but took no action to step up economic sanctions on Russia despite voicing alarm about an upsurge of violence in Ukraine.

EU foreign ministers in Brussels asked officials to put forward names of an unspecified number of pro-Russian separatists to be added to the EU's sanctions list by the end of the month.

"Sanctions ... are an effective tool in a broader strategy," the EU's new foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, told a news conference, adding that she would visit Kiev as soon as a new government is formed. She said she was open to visiting Moscow "if the conditions are there".

Around 120 Ukrainian and Russian officials are already under EU asset freezes and travel bans.

Tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine have risen again as a result of a Nov. 2 election by eastern Ukraine separatists, repeated ceasefire violations and NATO's assertions -- denied by Moscow -- that Russia has sent tanks and troops to eastern Ukraine in recent days.

The EU foreign ministers called in a statement for "a halt to the continuous violations of the ceasefire, a withdrawal of all illegal and foreign forces, mercenaries and military equipment".

The ministers called on Ukraine to redouble its economic and political reform efforts and urged Russia, Ukraine and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to intensify talks.

Mogherini expressed her own readiness to help resolve the crisis. "Russia is part of the problem but is also for sure part of the solution," Mogherini said.

Read the original:
EU eyes sanctions against Ukraine separatists - officials

European Union acting like an aggressive colonialist - @Steven_Woolfe @UKIP MEP
http://www.ukipmeps.org | http://www.ukip.org European Parliament, Brussels, 13 November 2014 Steven Woolfe MEP, UK Independence Party (North West), Europe of Freedom and Direct ...

By: UKIP MEPs

See the original post:
European Union acting like an aggressive colonialist - @Steven_Woolfe @UKIP MEP - Video

Will Jerusalem be Divided? | Irvin Baxter
While visiting Israel last week, the European Union #39;s new foreign affairs chief, Federica Mogherini, called for the dividing of Jerusalem. In addressing the Middle East peace process, she...

By: endtimeministries

Excerpt from:
Will Jerusalem be Divided? | Irvin Baxter - Video