The Turkey-Libya maritime deal has come under renewed criticism after Greece, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) jointly warned that it threatens regional security and the international legal order.
In a joint statement delivered by Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis at the United Nations in New York on Monday, the four countries raised concerns about the agreement, arguing that it could undermine established principles of international law.
They warned that bilateral arrangements must not be allowed to override international maritime rules or set a precedent for unilateral decisions affecting the rights of other states.
The statement signals a broader regional effort to challenge the agreement and increase diplomatic pressure on Ankara and Tripoli over maritime boundaries in the eastern Mediterranean.
Libya’s eastern parliament approves the deal
The latest diplomatic dispute follows the approval last week by Libya’s eastern-based parliament of a maritime boundaries agreement with Turkey, originally signed in 2019.
The agreement was concluded by Libya’s internationally recognised government in Tripoli, in the country’s west. However, the rival eastern administration, led by military commander Khalifa Haftar, had withheld its approval for years.
Libya has remained divided between rival administrations since the civil war that followed the 2011 uprising which toppled longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Turkey played a crucial role in helping the Tripoli-based government repel an offensive by Haftar’s forces in 2019 and 2020. Relations between Ankara and Haftar’s eastern administration have nevertheless improved in recent years, with Turkish officials making regular visits to Benghazi and Turkish businesses investing in construction and other sectors.
Turkey rejects international criticism
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected criticism from the European Union and other parties on Monday, arguing that their objections to the agreement’s approval had no legitimate basis.
Ankara has defended its eastern Mediterranean policy, while Greece and Cyprus maintain that the 2019 arrangement infringes on their maritime claims.
The dispute centres on competing interpretations of maritime boundaries and the rights of countries to claim exclusive economic zones in the eastern Mediterranean.
Greece seeks a separate maritime agreement with Libya
Athens has continued efforts to establish its own maritime boundaries with Libya.
Greece has also awarded a consortium led by US energy company Chevron a licence to explore for natural gas off Crete, an area with strategic significance amid competing maritime claims in the region.
Gerapetritis said Greece remained willing to pursue an agreement with Libya and called on the country to maintain good relations with its neighbours in accordance with international maritime rules as it navigates its political transition.
The dispute has wider implications for energy exploration and regional cooperation, with competing maritime claims affecting plans for offshore resources and future projects in the Mediterranean.
For Cyprus, the disagreement is particularly relevant because of its wider implications for maritime rights, regional security and energy cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean.
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