Greece Denounces Libya's Eastern Parliament Approval of Maritime Deal with Turkey

Greece has vehemently rejected the recent approval by Libya’s eastern parliament of a maritime agreement with Turkey. Athens asserts that the deal violates international law and infringes upon the sovereign rights of nations situated in the eastern Mediterranean. Libya is currently bifurcated, with two governing bodies: one in the west, headquartered in Tripoli, and another in the east, based in Benghazi. The maritime agreement was initially negotiated by the government operating out of western Libya.

The House of Representatives, based in the east and aligned with military commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, gave its unanimous approval to the 2019 accord on Tuesday. This decision marks a reversal of their prior opposition to the deal and their previous stance of severing political ties with Ankara. The agreement aims to delineate maritime jurisdiction zones between Turkey and Libya in the Mediterranean Sea, a region already fraught with tension due to competing territorial claims and offshore energy exploration.

Greece, alongside Egypt and Cyprus, has consistently opposed this agreement, viewing it as an encroachment on their own maritime entitlements. The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that the parliamentary vote did not alter their assessment of the agreement as “illegal, null and void.” Athens argued that neither Turkey nor Libya possesses opposite or adjacent coastlines that would legally justify the delimitation of maritime zones. Furthermore, Greece contended that the agreement disregards the maritime rights of its islands.

“We call ​on the ⁠Libyan side to refrain from any ‌action that contravenes International Law and undermines stability in the Eastern Mediterranean,” a statement from the Greek Foreign Ministry declared. The ministry also indicated that it had briefed its partners and allies and would implement appropriate measures to safeguard its sovereign rights. Following the ratification, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis engaged in phone conversations with his Cypriot and Egyptian counterparts, as reported by the Greek Foreign Ministry.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed the European Union's profound regret over the Libyan parliament’s ratification of the agreement. She underscored the bloc's long-standing opposition to the deal and its unwavering support for Greece and Cyprus. “This agreement infringes upon the sovereign rights of third states, it does not comply with the Law of the Sea, and is null and void,” Ms. von der Leyen stated on the social media platform X.

Conversely, Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the decision by the Libyan parliament, asserting that the agreement upholds the mutual rights and interests of both nations in accordance with international law and principles of equity. “Turkey will continue its determination to work together with all partners to ensure security, stability and peace in the Mediterranean basin,” the ministry added.

Athens and Cairo had previously signed a reciprocal agreement in 2020, establishing an exclusive economic zone in the eastern Mediterranean, a move that Turkey opposes. Libya has been divided into rival administrations in the east and west for over a decade, following a civil war that began after the toppling of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi by a NATO-backed uprising. The recent vote signifies a shift in the relationship between eastern Libya and Turkey, which provided military intervention in 2020 to support the Tripoli government against Field Marshal Haftar’s forces. Relations between Ankara and Haftar’s camp have seen improvement since then. Lt Gen Saddam Haftar, Field Marshal Haftar’s son and deputy, lauded the decision, characterizing the agreement as a mechanism for protecting Libya’s economic interests in the Mediterranean.

This development has the potential to further complicate efforts aimed at resolving competing maritime claims in the strategically vital eastern Mediterranean, a region rich in significant natural gas resources.