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[INTERNATIONAL] · Greece, Türkiye, Libya, Egypt, Cyprus · 84 sources

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Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum triggers regional diplomatic tension

The ratification of the 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum by the Libyan House of Representatives has sparked significant diplomatic friction in the Eastern Mediterranean. In response, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and the European Union issued a joint statement at the United Nations, declaring the agreement “null and void” and contrary to international law, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty directly communicated this categorical rejection to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during a meeting in Istanbul. Egypt is reportedly preparing a legal dossier to challenge the memorandum through international organizations, arguing it violates its sovereign rights to its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan defended the agreement, stating that Turkey aims to protect its maritime rights and interests rather than seeking to undermine others. He characterized the reactions from the EU and other actors as lacking legal basis and called for the peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue. Meanwhile, Turkey has proposed tripartite discussions involving Italy and Egypt to manage regional maritime claims, though such a move faces significant diplomatic hurdles.

Entities

Antonio Guterres · Badr Abdelatty · Egypt · European Union · Giorgos Gerapetritis · Giorgos Gerogiannis · Giorgos Geropetritis · Greece · Hakan Fidan · Kyriakos Mitsotakis · Libya · Libya

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