Greece has raised Libya’s ratification of the 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum at the United Nations Security Council, warning of risks to security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, as the European Union, Egypt and Israel voice objections and Ankara accuses its critics of spreading disinformation.
On the instructions of Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, Greece’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Aglaia Balta, briefed the Security Council on the recent decision by Libya’s House of Representatives to ratify the agreement, according to Greek diplomatic sources.
The Greek intervention took place during closed consultations under the agenda item “Any Other Business” (AOB). Athens highlighted what it considers the dangers of the agreement, which Greece regards as illegal.
The move follows a series of diplomatic reactions to the Libyan parliament’s decision, including the European Union’s renewed rejection of the memorandum.
EU says agreement cannot have legal consequences for third countries
The European Union has strongly criticised the ratification, reiterating that the 2019 Turkey-Libya memorandum violates the sovereign rights of third countries and conflicts with the international law of the sea.
In a statement issued on behalf of the EU by its High Representative, the bloc expressed deep regret over the ratification on 20 October 2026 of the memorandum concerning the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas in the Mediterranean.
The EU said its position remained unchanged, referring to conclusions adopted by the European Council in December 2019 and reiterated in June 2025.
The statement said the agreement violated the sovereign rights of third countries, did not comply with the law of the sea and was “invalid and without legal effect” for third states.
Egypt and Israel also object
Egypt has also rejected the agreement’s legal validity, with its Foreign Ministry stating that the ratification would have no legal effect on the country.
Cairo has made clear that it will not recognise the validity of the ratification, arguing that the agreement cannot affect its rights in the Mediterranean.
Israel has joined the criticism, condemning the Libyan parliament’s decision and accusing Turkey of undermining stability in the Eastern Mediterranean. In its statement, Israel argued that the agreement violated the sovereign rights of close regional allies.
Ankara accuses critics of disinformation
Turkey has responded by accusing social media accounts criticising the agreement of spreading disinformation and attempting to manipulate public opinion.
In a statement, the Turkish presidency’s Centre for Combating Disinformation, part of its Directorate of Communications, rejected claims that the Turkey-Libya maritime agreement destabilises the Eastern Mediterranean.
The centre described such claims as deliberate misinformation and argued that they sought to manipulate public opinion.
Ankara maintains that the memorandum is lawful because two sovereign states concluded it to protect their rights.
The Turkish statement also accused unnamed parties of seeking to turn the Eastern Mediterranean into a zone of conflict while advancing what Ankara considers unlawful maritime claims in areas where those parties are not signatories to the agreement.
Turkey said it remained committed to peace, stability and fairness in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Dispute over the agreement continues
The Turkish response reflects, in the Greek government’s assessment, the pressure Ankara faces following the Libyan parliament’s ratification and the international objections it has triggered.
Turkey continues to defend the memorandum as consistent with international law. Greece and the EU dispute that position, arguing that the agreement infringes on the sovereign rights of third countries.
The diplomatic dispute now spans the UN Security Council, EU-Turkey relations and regional diplomacy, with Greece continuing to challenge the agreement’s legality and its implications for stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.
(Source: AMNA)
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