Greece Leads Multinational Rejection of Turkey-Libya Sea Deal at UN

Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis delivered a joint diplomatic rebuke of the 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum during a UN Security Council session. Representing Greece, Egypt, Cyprus, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and the European Union, he asserted that the agreement violates international law and lacks any legal effect for third parties. The protest came after Libya’s eastern-based House of Representatives approved the pact, reversing its earlier opposition and prompting concerns about security and the rule of law in the region.

The statement emphasized that maritime delimitation must follow the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and established customs, including the rights of islands. It warned that accepting bilateral deals that ignore these principles would set a risky precedent. The joint declaration also supported Libya’s political reunification and urged that any future talks respect international legal standards.