Eastern Libyan Parliament Unanimously Ratifies Turkey Maritime Pact
The vote reverses the eastern government's 2019 stance and has prompted the EU to declare the memorandum null and void due to violations of third-state rights.
By Andrew Kovalenko ·
Tensions in the eastern Mediterranean have escalated following a decisive vote in Libya. On Tuesday, the eastern parliament unanimously approved a maritime agreement with Turkey. This decision establishes a direct economic corridor between the two nations' coastlines.
The vote marks a sharp reversal in policy for the eastern government. In 2019, the rival administration in the east opposed the initial corridor deal struck between Turkey and the UN-recognized Government of National Accord in the west. That earlier agreement was forged during the civil war when Turkey militarily supported the western government against an offensive led by General Khalifa Hifter. The eastern parliament now aligns with Ankara, a move welcomed by Turkey's Foreign Ministry.
The corridor connects Turkey's southern coast to Libya's northern coast. Recent surveys indicate that large oil and gas deposits lie beneath the seabed in this area. Estimates place the value of natural gas reserves in the region at several hundred billion US dollars. Both Ankara and Tripoli intend to secure joint economic rights to exploit these resources.
Greece has voiced strong opposition to the new arrangement. The Greek Foreign Ministry stated on social media that Athens firmly rejects the accord with the backing of the European Union. The EU declared the memorandum null and void, citing violations of the sovereign rights of third states and inconsistencies with the Law of the Sea. Kaja Kallas, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, confirmed that the vote infringes upon the rights of third states.
The legal dispute centers on the status of Greek islands such as Crete, Karpathos, and Rhodes. Athens argues that Article 121 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea grants inhabited islands full exclusive economic zone rights. Greece points to a 2022 International Court of Justice ruling involving Colombia and Nicaragua, which requires fair demarcation of overlapping interests. Turkey, which has not signed the convention, argues that Mediterranean geography requires special consideration to prevent Turkey from being cut off from the open sea.
Political dynamics in Libya have shifted since 2019. A Turkish rapprochement with Hifter's camp has resulted in billions of dollars in reconstruction contracts for Turkish firms. The state oil company TPAO is currently conducting seismic surveys off the Libyan coast in partnership with Libya's National Oil Corporation. Turkey also provides weapons and training to Hifter's forces, countering Egyptian and Russian influence in the region.
The new corridor poses a direct threat to the planned EastMed pipeline. That project is designed to transport gas from Israel and Cyprus through Greece to enhance EU energy security. The maritime route cuts across the pipeline's planned path. Turkey maintains that cable or pipeline projects on its claimed continental shelf require its consent, setting the stage for a potential split between a Turkey-Libya axis and an EU-supported grouping of Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, and Israel.
