The decision by the Libyan House of Representatives last Tuesday to approve a memorandum of understanding on maritime border demarcation with Turkey has triggered a wave of condemnation and rejection from several fronts.
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed today, Wednesday, its rejection of the maritime border demarcation memorandum between Libya and Turkey, considering it “devoid of any legal effect.” It stressed that the memorandum is “absolutely null,” noting that it violates international maritime law.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the Libyan House of Representatives’ decision to approve the memorandum, stating that “the agreement violates the sovereign rights of our close allies in the region.”
The ministry added: “Unfortunately, we see Turkey once again working to destabilize the Eastern Mediterranean region.”
Greece also swiftly rejected the Libyan parliament’s decision, deeming it “legally ineffective.” On Tuesday, the Greek Foreign Ministry stated that the memorandum of understanding violates international maritime law and affects the sovereign rights of countries in the region. It stressed that Turkey and Libya have no opposite or adjacent coasts that would justify this maritime demarcation.
Greece called on Libya to refrain from any steps that could undermine stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, emphasizing that the Libyan-Turkish maritime memorandum “ignores Greek islands and their rights in maritime areas based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and customary international law.” It also stressed that it had informed its partners and allies of the matter and would take all appropriate measures to protect its sovereign rights.
The European Union expressed regret over the parliament’s ratification of the maritime border agreement signed between Libya and Turkey in 2019, reiterating its solidarity with Greece and Cyprus, which oppose the agreement.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement posted on her X account that “the EU’s position on this issue was clearly articulated by the European Council in 2019, a position that remains unchanged.”
She noted that the agreement “violates the sovereign rights of other countries and does not comply with the Law of the Sea, and is considered null and void.”
On Tuesday, the Libyan House of Representatives approved the memorandum of understanding signed in November 2019 between the former Government of National Accord and Turkey concerning the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas in the Mediterranean.
It also unanimously approved the cancellation of two decisions issued by the council in 2020. The first concerned the rejection of ratification of memoranda of understanding between the two countries, while the second revoked the decision to sever political relations with the Republic of Turkey, according to Abdullah Bliheg, spokesperson for the Libyan House of Representatives.
The vote took place during a session held at the council’s headquarters in Benghazi. It was the second session presided over by the council’s new leadership, headed by Salheen Abdul Nabi, who was elected this month to replace Aguila Saleh, who had held the position for 12 years.
The agreement forms part of a dispute that has persisted for years over competing sovereignty claims concerning maritime borders and energy exploration rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.
