Libya’s parliament unanimously approved a contested maritime agreement with Turkey on Tuesday, reversing years of opposition and reviving a dispute with Egypt, Greece and Cyprus over rights in the eastern Mediterranean, reports BritPanorama.
The House of Representatives, aligned with military commander Khalifa Hifter, voted to adopt the memorandum of understanding signed in 2019 by Turkey and Libya’s then-government in Tripoli, the Government of National Accord.
Greece’s Foreign Ministry rejected the vote, stating it “does not alter the illegal, invalid and groundless nature of the memorandum.”
The ministry added that Turkey and Libya do not have opposing or adjacent coasts that could provide a legal basis for delimiting maritime zones, emphasizing that the agreement disregards the rights of Greek islands situated between the Turkish and Libyan coasts.
“Geography and the international Law of the Sea cannot be changed by unilateral, legally unfounded parliamentary decisions,” the ministry stated, announcing that Greece would take “all appropriate measures to safeguard its sovereign rights.” Cyprus also condemned the vote, labelling the memorandum “illegal, null, and void.”
The Libyan-Turkey agreement delineates maritime jurisdiction areas in the Mediterranean, where recent natural gas discoveries have intensified competing claims to offshore waters.
Lawmakers also repealed two resolutions from 2020; one that rejected agreements with Turkey and another that severed political ties with Ankara. These objections were made during a period when Turkey was supporting the Tripoli government against Haftar’s forces.
Officials from both camps expressed approval of Tuesday’s vote. Saddam Haftar, Khalifa Haftar’s son, noted that the decision reflects “a move toward overcoming disputes of the past.” He characterised the maritime agreement as essential for protecting Libya’s economic interests in the Mediterranean, referring to Turkey as “a significant regional power.”
The Foreign Ministry of the Tripoli-based government, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, welcomed the vote as “a positive development” for relations with Turkey, asserting cooperation would proceed “in accordance with the relevant rules and principles of international law.” Dbeibah also met Turkey’s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, discussing security, regional developments, and migration.
The European Union indicated that the agreement violates the rights of third countries, noting that Turkey is not a party to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Egypt, a long-time supporter of Haftar and Libya’s eastern parliament, likewise rejected the accord. In August 2020, Cairo and Athens signed a separate maritime agreement in response, which Greek officials claim effectively nullifies the Turkish-Libyan deal.
Tuesday’s parliamentary vote indicates that Egypt’s main allies in Libya now back an agreement they have opposed. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reported discussing the situation in Libya and the eastern Mediterranean during a phone call with his Greek counterpart, though he did not mention the vote directly.
This vote comes after a period of improving relations between Turkey and eastern Libya.
Libya has faced chaos since a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 overthrew Moammar Gadhafi, resulting in a fragmented political landscape between rival governments in the east and west. Dbeibah heads the internationally recognised government in Tripoli, while Prime Minister Ossama Hammad leads the eastern administration. Khalifa Haftar, commanding the Libyan National Army, retains influence in the east.
Moreover, Libya serves as a critical transit point for migrants from Africa and the Middle East attempting treacherous crossings to Europe amid conflict and economic distress.
