Monday, Apr 23, 2012

(Adds details on possible Sudan sanctions, Syria, dispute over Repsol.)

By Laurence Norman

Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

LUXEMBOURG (Dow Jones)--The European Union is mulling options in response to violence between Sudan and South Sudan and should have a clear view on its next steps at its foreign ministers meeting in May, according to Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief.

"We need to watch carefully what happens" on the ground, Ashton said at the close of a meeting of EU foreign ministers. "We are looking into a range of different things."

Pressed on whether she agreed with French foreign affairs official Henri de Raincourt that sanctions could be adopted against the two countries, Ashton said she didn't want to "pre-empt the situation." The EU will seek to "put the right and positive pressure" on both sides, she said.

"By the time of the next Council," the EU should have a "clear view about what we should do next," she said.

If the situation doesn't "evolve favorably we could consider establishing sanctions against those who don't respect the conditions for resolving the crisis," de Raincourt told reporters earlier Monday. The possibility of sanctions was raised at Monday's meeting of foreign ministers, according to EU diplomats. The bloc would draw up a list of possible sanctions by the May meeting if the violence did not abate, one said.

The EU said in a statement Monday it is "deeply concerned" about the "escalating conflict" between Sudan and South Sudan. "The use of force will not resolve any of the outstanding issues between the two countries," the EU said.

The EU could adopt sanctions on the leaders of Guinea-Bissu after a coup there, Ashton said. The EU is ready to "impose restrictive measures against individuals who continue to engage in or provide support for acts that threaten the peace, security and stability" of the country, the EU said in a statement.

Separately, Ashton called on the Syrian regime to withdraw all its tanks and heavy weapons from Syrian cities.

"Member states are in support of Spain" after Aregntina's expropriation of the domestic unit of Spanish energy firm Repsol YPF, she said.

-By Laurence Norman, Dow Jones Newswires; +32 (0)2 741 1481; laurence.norman@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

23-04-12 1658GMT