NICOSIA: Cyprus’ foreign ministry has rejected the Turkey-Libya maritime deal as illegal after Libya’s parliament approved it. The ministry argues that the pact violates other states’ sovereign rights and international maritime law.
The 2019 agreement places a shared maritime boundary southeast of the Greek island of Crete. Turkey and Libya maintain that their respective exclusive economic zones meet there.
Cyprus disputes that position. Its ministry described the memorandum as “null and void” and maintained that it cannot create legal effects against third states.
It argued that the agreement breaches the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The ministry also cited customary international law governing islands’ economic zones and continental shelves.
However, Turkish presidential communications chief Burhanettin Duran welcomed the parliamentary approval. He described it as progress towards protecting both countries’ rights and establishing maritime boundaries on an equitable basis.
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Duran pledged continued cooperation with Libya and support for what Ankara considers fair resource sharing in the eastern Mediterranean.
Meanwhile, Greece’s foreign ministry rejected the approval, arguing that parliamentary decisions cannot change geography or international maritime law.
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It maintains that Turkey and Libya lack opposing or adjacent coasts that would justify their proposed boundary. Athens also accused the agreement of disregarding the maritime rights of Greek islands.
Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis discussed the development by telephone with his Cypriot counterpart, Constantinos Kombos.
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Libyan parliamentary spokesman Abdullah Bliheg announced the pact’s unanimous approval. Turkey originally signed it with Libya’s then Government of National Accord in 2019.
