The European Union sharply criticized eastern Libya’s parliament’s ratification of the maritime memorandum between Libya and Turkey on Tuesday, reiterating that the agreement violates the sovereign rights of third countries and is not in compliance with the law of the sea.
The EU stressed that its position, established by the European Council in 2019, remained unchanged, calling the agreement “invalid and void”. She also reaffirmed her solidarity with Greece and Cyprus and reiterated her opposition to any external intervention in Libya.
In a joint statement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa noted: “We deeply regret today’s ratification by the Libyan Parliament of the so-called Libyan-Turkish Memorandum of Understanding on the delimitation of maritime jurisdictions in the Mediterranean Sea.”
“We recall that the EU position on this issue was clearly expressed by the European Council in 2019 and remains unchanged,” the text reads, adding:
“This agreement infringes on the sovereign rights of third States, it is not in compliance with the law of the sea and is null and void. We reaffirm our solidarity with Greece and Cyprus. We reiterate the well-known position of the EU against any external interference in Libya.”
Eastern Libya’s parliament backed the maritime deal with Turkey on Tuesday, reviving a deal that Athens had long opposed.
Control of Libya is shared between rival administrations in the west and east, with the east led by military commander Khalifa Haftar.
The maritime deal covering claims in the eastern Mediterranean was agreed with Turkey in 2019 by the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in the west, but was rejected by authorities in eastern Libya, triggering a boycott, as well as in Egypt and Greece.
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