EU leaders back Cyprus and Greece after Libya ratifies maritime agreement with Turkey

Nicosia, Cyprus. European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed solidarity with Cyprus and Greece on Tuesday after Libya’s parliament ratified a maritime agreement with Turkey. Both Cyprus and Greece regard the accord as illegal.

EU position remains unchanged

In a joint statement, Costa and von der Leyen expressed deep regret over the Libyan legislature’s approval of what they described as the so-called memorandum delimiting maritime jurisdictions between Libya and Turkey in the Mediterranean. They said the EU maintained the position established by the European Council in 2019.

The two leaders said the accord violated other states’ sovereign rights, was incompatible with maritime law and had no legal validity. They also reaffirmed the EU’s opposition to external interference in Libya.

Their response echoed conclusions adopted by the European Council on December 12, 2019. Those conclusions said the arrangement breached third countries’ sovereign rights, failed to comply with maritime law and could have no legal effect on those countries.

Unanimous vote in Libya

Libya’s parliament approved the agreement unanimously earlier on Tuesday. Under its provisions, Libya and Turkey recognise a common boundary between their respective exclusive economic zones in the Mediterranean, southeast of Crete, the Greek island.

Turkey signed the accord in 2019 with Libya’s government of national accord, but parliamentary ratification in Libya remained pending until Tuesday.

The government of national unity replaced that administration in 2021 and is currently Libya’s only internationally recognised government.

The parliamentary vote coincided with a visit to Libya by Ibrahim Kalin, chief of Turkey’s national intelligence organisation (Mit), to meet Abdulhamid Dibeybe, Prime Minister of Libya’s government of national unity.

Cyprus and Greece condemn the agreement

Following the agreement’s signing, Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos spoke by telephone with Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis. Both foreign ministries subsequently issued statements condemning it.

The Cypriot ministry condemned the Libyan parliament’s approval of the 2019 Turkish-Libyan memorandum, which it described as illegal. It said the memorandum breached other states’ sovereign rights and conflicted with the recognised principles of the United Nations convention on the law of the sea.