Greece has formally rejected all allegations made by Libya’s transitional government regarding maritime claims in the Eastern Mediterranean. In a statement submitted to the UN, Greece reaffirmed its position, grounding its arguments in international law and existing agreements with neighboring countries.
The maritime dispute between Greece and Libya stems from conflicting claims over their respective Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and continental shelves in the Mediterranean Sea.
At the heart of the dispute is the 2019 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Turkey and the then-Government of National Accord (GNA, predecessor to the GNU). This MoU mapped out a vast sea area that disregards the existence and maritime rights of Greek islands, including Crete and Rhodes, effectively establishing a corridor between Turkey and Libya.
Greece, along with much of the international community, views this agreement as a violation of international law, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which grants islands their own maritime zones.
The key points of Greece’s response to Libya
In the statement submitted to the UN, Greece asserts that the recently announced international tender for exploration south of Crete is for maritime blocks located entirely within its continental shelf, in full accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). These blocks do not infringe upon Libya’s sovereign rights.
Athens adds that the boundaries of these blocks are determined by the median line between Greece and Libya, as well as the terms of the existing EEZ agreement between Greece and Egypt.
Greece’s position emphasizes that the median line is defined by mainland and island coasts, thereby upholding the right of its islands to a full continental shelf and EEZ. This is a central point of contention with Libya and Turkey.
The Greek statement explicitly rejects the maritime boundary lines depicted on Libyan maps. It asserts that these maps violate UNCLOS, particularly where they align with the unlawful 2019 Turkish-Libyan memorandum.
Greece reiterates that the memorandum is legally invalid because it ignores the existence and maritime rights of numerous Greek islands, including Crete and the Dodecanese. This agreement, in Greece’s view, produces no legal effects.
Greece ready to negotiate with Libya
Despite the ongoing dispute, Athens has once again expressed its readiness to engage in a constructive dialogue with Tripoli to resolve the delimitation of maritime zones. To this end, Greece is prepared to establish a technical negotiating team.
This move, first announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, aims to mend relations severely strained by a controversial 2019 maritime deal between the GNU and Turkey, which Greece considers illegal and a direct infringement on its sovereign rights, particularly around the island of Crete.
Related: Libya’s New Energy Deal With Turkey Fuels Tensions With Greece
