The United States has urged Greece and Turkey to resolve their maritime disputes through good faith negotiations, stopping short of taking a position on Libya’s approval of the controversial 2019 maritime agreement with Ankara.
In a statement on Thursday, October 22, the US State Department called on its Eastern Mediterranean partners to settle maritime disagreements through dialogue, following the decision by Libya’s eastern based House of Representatives to approve the Turkey Libya memorandum.
Washington’s response contrasts with the European Union’s position, with Brussels reiterating its view that the agreement infringes on the sovereign rights of third countries and conflicts with international law of the sea.
Washington Avoids Taking a Position on the Agreement
Responding to a question about the Libyan parliament’s decision, a US State Department spokesperson encouraged regional partners to resolve maritime disputes through negotiations conducted in good faith.
The department said resolving these issues would serve the interests of all parties and help create conditions for commercial investment and exploration across the Mediterranean.
It also highlighted that Greece and Turkey are both NATO allies, encouraging Athens and Ankara to address their disagreements through bilateral discussions.
The statement did not explicitly endorse or reject the legality of the Turkey Libya memorandum, nor did it directly assess the decision taken by Libya’s eastern based parliament.
Greece Rejects Turkey Libya Maritime Memorandum
Libya’s House of Representatives approved the 2019 maritime delimitation memorandum with Turkey on October 20, renewing tensions over competing maritime claims in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Athens has rejected the agreement, arguing that it violates international law of the sea and disregards the sovereign rights of other states in the region.
The memorandum establishes a claimed maritime boundary between Turkey and Libya that Greece disputes, particularly because of its implications for the maritime entitlements of Greek islands, including Crete.
Greece maintains that islands are entitled to maritime zones under international law and that an agreement between Turkey and Libya cannot remove the rights of third countries.
EU Reaffirms Support for Greece
The European Union issued a stronger response to the Libyan parliament’s decision.
In a statement released on October 21 on behalf of the bloc, the EU’s High Representative reiterated that the memorandum violates the sovereign rights of third states and is inconsistent with the law of the sea.
The EU also stated that the agreement cannot produce legal effects for third countries.
The differing responses highlight a contrast between Brussels’ explicit position on the memorandum and Washington’s emphasis on bilateral negotiations without directly addressing the agreement’s legal status.
Diplomatic Challenge for Athens
The US statement comes as Greece considers its response to the Libyan parliament’s approval of the memorandum.
Washington’s call for bilateral negotiations places renewed emphasis on dialogue between Athens and Ankara, while leaving unresolved the competing legal arguments surrounding the Turkey Libya agreement.
For Greece, the issue concerns not only its relations with Turkey but also the protection of its maritime rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The latest development adds another layer to a dispute involving Greece, Turkey and Libya, with the positions of the United States and European Union likely to remain important to the wider diplomatic debate.
Source: Statements by the US State Department and the European Union.
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