EU FMs to Meet in Brussels to Discuss Ways of Saving JCPOA
The foreign ministers of the 28 Member States of the European Union will meet in Brussels on May 28 to explore ways of preserving Iran nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The meeting will be a follow up to the EU summit of heads of states held in Sofia on May 16 in which the EU leaders declared their united stand on supporting the JCPOA.
A statement issued by the French foreign ministry said the European Union is determined to support the interests of companies and investors that may be affected by US sanctions.
The EU foreign ministers are to meet three days after a meeting of the Joint Commission of the JCPOA in Vienna Friday in which signatories to the agreement underlined the need for full and effective implementation of the deal.
On Friday, Vienna hosted the second round of the negotiations of JCPOA joint commission which was held at the request of Iran following US withdrawal from the international pact.
As per the provisions of the JCPOA, Joint Commission is in charge of monitoring implementation of the JCPOA.
Helga Schmid representing High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini headed the Joint Commission meeting attended by 4+1 Group and Iran at the level of deputy foreign ministers.
Participants of the Joint Commission meeting regretted over unilateral exit of US from the deal, reiterating that meeting Iran’s demands and normalizing economic cooperation with Tehran are essential for surviving the deal.
During the meeting also attended by Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), members of the JCPOA reaffirmed their support to the international pact and hailed the international body’s professional and impartial role in verifying Iran’s commitment to the deal.
They also described the JCPOA as a main part of the NPT and a very significant diplomatic achievement which has been approved by Resolution 2231.
Helga Schmid in a statement on Friday said that members of the JCPOA reiterated their commitment to implement nuclear deal in good faith in a full, regular and effective manner.
On May 8, US President Donald Trump announced his country’s unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA despite opposition of his European allies, Russia and China and vowed to re-impose sanctions on Iran.
The European Commission has recently launched the process of activating a law that bans European companies and courts from complying with US sanctions against Iran after Washington pulled out of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal.
Jean Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, said the commission has a ‘duty to protect European companies’ from American sanctions.
IRNA
R.S