Libya’s maritime deal with Türkiye angers EU states

The pact is “illegal, null and void” and violates international maritime law and other states’ sovereign rights, Greece and Cyprus have said

Libya’s eastern-based parliament has approved a disputed maritime agreement with Türkiye, drawing condemnation from Greece and Cyprus over competing boundaries and energy rights in the Mediterranean.

The House of Representatives voted unanimously on Tuesday to endorse the agreement, which was first signed in November 2019 between Ankara and Libya’s internationally recognized government in Tripoli. Lawmakers also overturned a 2020 decision to sever political ties with Türkiye.

The agreement demarcates maritime jurisdiction between the two countries in an area contested by Greece, Egypt, and Cyprus.

The Greek Foreign Ministry called the parliamentary decision “unilateral [and] legally unfounded,” saying the deal disregards Greek islands’ rights to maritime zones between the Turkish and Libyan coasts.

“The memorandum remains illegal, null and void, contravenes international law of the sea, and infringes upon the sovereign rights of states in the region,” the ministry said in a statement.

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It argued that Türkiye and Libya lack opposite or adjacent coastlines providing a lawful basis for the boundary, warning that Greece would take action to defend its sovereign rights. Cyprus also condemned the decision, calling the memorandum “illegal, null and void.”

Ankara welcomed the vote, saying the agreement safeguards “the mutual rights and interests” of both countries under international law and the principle of equity, while deepening cooperation between Türkiye and Libya. “Türkiye will continue to work with all partners to foster trust, stability and peace in the Mediterranean basin, in line with its commitment to international law,” the Foreign Ministry stated.

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The eastern Mediterranean has seen a wave of offshore gas discoveries since 2009, opening new export opportunities while intensifying disputes over maritime boundaries and drilling rights. Major finds off Israel, Cyprus, and Egypt have attracted international energy companies, including Chevron and Eni, to the region, according to a US Energy Information Administration report.

Greece and Egypt signed an overlapping maritime agreement in 2020, which Türkiye rejects. Athens also approved offshore exploration south of Crete by a consortium led by Chevron last year, prompting Turkish objections.

The move on Tuesday comes amid improving ties between Türkiye and Libya’s eastern authorities, who are aligned with military commander Khalifa Haftar. Ankara helped Tripoli repel his forces’ 2019-2020 campaign to capture the capital, but has since expanded diplomatic contacts and investment in the east. The country remains divided between Abdul Hamid Dbeibah’s government in the capital, Tripoli, in western Libya, and an eastern administration led by Osama Hammad and backed by Haftar.

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Officials from both rival administrations welcomed the parliamentary approval. The Tripoli-based Foreign Ministry called it a “positive development toward strengthening bilateral relations” with Türkiye. Haftar’s son Saddam, the deputy commander of the Libyan National Army, called it a move toward overcoming past differences, putting Libya’s national interests first.