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European Maritime Awareness in the SoH (EMASOH): political statement by the
governments of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the
Netherlands, and Portugal (20 January 2020)

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   Rising insecurity and instability have been witnessed in the Gulf and
   the Strait of Hormuz in 2019 with multiple maritime and non-maritime
   incidents as a result of growing regional tensions. This situation has
   been affecting the freedom of navigation and the security of European
   and non-European vessels and crews in the area for months. It has also
   been jeopardizing trade and energy supplies with potential worldwide
   economic consequences.

   Recent developments in the Middle-East are extremely worrying as they
   fuel tensions and increase the risk of a potential large-scale conflict
   with consequences in the whole region. This context calls for enhanced
   de-escalation initiatives to stop the ongoing trend.

   Sharing the assessment that the current situation in the Gulf and the
   Strait of Hormuz remains unstable in a region critical to global
   stability, and supporting the de-escalation approach when it comes to
   dealing with regional security issues, the Governments of BELGIUM,
   DENMARK, FRANCE, GERMANY, GREECE, ITALY, THE NETHERLANDS, AND PORTUGAL
   politically support the creation of a European-led maritime
   surveillance mission in the Strait of Hormuz (EMASOH). We welcome any
   contribution in kind as already declared by DENMARK, FRANCE, GREECE,
   and THE NETHERLANDS to this effort and look forward to further
   commitments in the coming days.

   In complementarity with existing maritime security efforts and
   initiatives in the region, including IMSC, EMASoH aims to ensure a safe
   navigation environment and to lower the existing tensions in the
   region.

   In full accordance with international law, including the United Nations
   Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the mission will concretely
   provide enhanced maritime situation awareness and surveillance through
   the deployment of additional maritime surveillance assets in the Gulf
   and Arabian Sea. We are grateful to the UAE for offering to host the
   mission HQ on their territory.

   EMASOH will constitute a useful instrument in safeguarding the freedom
   of navigation by ensuring adequate coordination and information sharing
   mechanisms with all partners operating in the area, including the
   maritime industry. Moreover, EMASOH aims to foster de-escalation and to
   complement vital diplomatic efforts aiming at ensuring increased
   stability and an inclusive regional dialogue in a critical context.

            democratic Europe
                 (13 Dec. 21)
                 of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
                 Europe (Stockholm, December 2, 2021)
                 the Foreign Affairs Council (Brussels, 15 November 2021)
                 EU-AU ministerial meeting (Kigali, Oct. 26)
                 (Luxembourg, 19 October 2021)

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