The key facts
- Libya's eastern parliament, loyal to Khalifa Haftar, unanimously approved the 2019 agreement with Turkey, reversing its previous position
- Greece, Cyprus and Egypt consider the deal a violation of international law; the EU backed Greece and Cyprus
- Turkey welcomed the ratification; Ankara's relations with the Haftar camp improved after Turkey's military intervention in 2020 on the side of Tripoli
Ratification of the agreement by the eastern parliament
The House of Representatives of eastern Libya, based in Benghazi and linked to Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, on Tuesday unanimously approved the 2019 maritime agreement with Turkey. The decision reverses the chamber's previous position, which had opposed the deal and severed political ties with Ankara. The agreement demarcates the maritime jurisdictions of the two countries in the Mediterranean, where competing territorial claims and exploration of offshore deposits heighten tensions. The agreement was originally concluded by the government in Tripoli, which controls the west of the country.
Reaction of Greece and the EU
The Greek Foreign Ministry said the vote does not change the status of the agreement, which Athens calls 'illegal, null and void'. In Greece's view, Turkey and Libya have no opposite or adjacent coasts that would provide a legal basis for the delimitation of maritime zones, and the deal ignores the maritime rights of the Greek islands. Athens called on the Libyan side to refrain from actions contrary to international law and said it had informed its partners and would take measures to protect its sovereign rights. Greek Foreign Minister Georgios Gerapetritis held telephone talks with counterparts from Cyprus and Egypt. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X that the EU deeply regrets the ratification: the agreement, in her words, violates the sovereign rights of third states, is not consistent with the law of the sea and is null and void.
Turkey's position and context
The Turkish Foreign Ministry welcomed the decision of the Libyan parliament, stating that the agreement respects the mutual rights and interests of the parties under international law and the principles of fairness, and pledged to continue working with partners for security and stability in the Mediterranean. Greece and Egypt signed an overlapping agreement on an exclusive economic zone in 2020, which Turkey disputes. Libya split into eastern and western governments more than a decade ago after the civil war that followed the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi. In 2020, Turkey intervened militarily on the side of the government in Tripoli against Haftar's forces, but Ankara's relations with his camp have since improved. The field marshal's son and deputy, Lieutenant General Saddam Haftar, welcomed the decision, calling the agreement a means of protecting Libya's economic interests in the Mediterranean. According to The National, the decision may complicate the settlement of maritime claims in a strategically important region with large natural gas reserves.
