Egypt-Turkey Border Demarcation Needs Consultation, Foreign Ministry States Amid Regional Diplomacy

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has stated that the demarcation of borders between Egypt and Turkey necessitates consultation. This statement emerges amidst a series of diplomatic engagements in Istanbul, which included regional and international gatherings focused on addressing pertinent regional issues and reinforcing efforts towards peace and stability.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry underscored the critical importance of the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to Egypt’s national security. The spokesperson also declared that the unity and independence of Sudan represent a “red line” for Egypt and highlighted the significant role of the meetings held in Istanbul, characterizing them as highly important.

During a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, in Istanbul on Friday, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s firm rejection of the Libyan parliament’s approval of the 2019 memorandum of understanding between Libya and Turkey concerning the delimitation of maritime jurisdictions. This meeting occurred on the sidelines of the Quadripartite Group—comprising the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey—and a joint ministerial meeting that included the foreign ministers of Italy, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Discussions covered developments in Libya, with Abdelatty reaffirming Egypt’s steadfast support for Libya’s unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and stability. He emphasized Egypt’s commitment to strengthening Libyan state institutions in ways that protect the interests of the Libyan people. The minister further stressed the importance of adhering to the principles of international maritime law and the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea concerning the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone and the continental shelf, in accordance with principles of justice and equity among states.

Hakan Fidan, on his part, expressed understanding of Egypt’s concerns regarding developments in Libya. He stressed the necessity of ongoing consultation, coordination, and joint action to address these concerns and to support efforts aimed at achieving security and stability in the country.

In an interview with the Turkish channel TRT on the sidelines of his visit to Istanbul, Abdelatty once again stated Egypt’s rejection of the maritime memorandum of understanding signed between Libya and Turkey, emphasizing the need to adhere to international maritime law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Egypt had announced on Wednesday its rejection of the Libyan House of Representatives’ ratification of the memorandum, asserting that this action carries no legal implications for Egypt. The Libyan House of Representatives had earlier, on Tuesday, voted unanimously to approve the memorandum of understanding regarding the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction zones in the Mediterranean Sea, thereby ending a parliamentary stance held since 2020 that had rejected the agreement. The House spokesperson, Abdullah Bleihaq, announced on the X platform that the assembly had rescinded Resolution #1 of 2020, which had rejected the ratification of the two memoranda of understanding concluded between the Government of National Accord and Turkey. Furthermore, the House repealed Resolution #6 of 2020, which had called for the severance of political relations with Ankara.