The latest note verbale, a type of diplomatic note, submitted by Libya to the UN extends the country’s continental shelf claims to the Greek island of Crete, but sources argue that it produces no legal effect.
The map enclosed in Libya’s most recent note verbale, dated May 27, 2025, and officially published by the UN on July 1, outlines “the outer limits of the continental shelf in the Mediterranean Sea,” once again challenging Greece’s designation of maritime zones for hydrocarbon exploration west and south of Crete.
In an earlier note verbale, issued June 20, 2025, Libya questioned the so-called “median line” established by Greece and asserted sovereignty over maritime areas included in the Greek offshore licensing process for hydrocarbon exploration.
The move by Libyan officials aligns with the maritime boundary drawn up under the controversial Turkey-Libya Memorandum.
Libya’s note verbale produces no legal effect, according to sources
“The note verbale of May 27, 2025 of the Permanent Mission of Libya to the United Nations, in reaction to Greek initiatives to exercise legitimate sovereign rights, expresses Libya’s firm positions; however, it does not produce legal results,” diplomatic sources told AMNA on Thursday.
They added that these positions have been raised in the past and have been duly addressed by Greece and Egypt. “International law is not determined by unilateral notes verbales or the wishful thinking of third parties. Such positions do not reflect a willingness to resume negotiations on the delimitation of the continental shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone, based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” it was added.
“Greece will continue to follow the path of international law and solid regional alliances that enhance its diplomatic leverage. Unlike invalid and legally non-existent agreements, Greece acts in accordance with international law and does not hesitate to clearly express its positions to all its interlocutors, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs recently did during his visit to Libya,” it was also said.
Greek Foreign Affairs Minister visits Libya, which claims to be extending its maritime borders to Crete, Greece
Earlier this week, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis was on an official visit to Libya, where he met separately with the Chairman of the Presidential council Mohammed Menfi, the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity (GNU) of Libya Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Taher Al Baour.
Both sides spoke of historical Greek-Libyan relations and agreed that their common geography called for cooperation and the holding of sincere talks, diplomatic sources said on Tuesday, also adding that the Greek FM and Libyan officials had the opportunity to express their stances on all issues related to bilateral relations, exchanging views as well on complex issues such as migration and the delimitation of maritime zones.
On the issue of delimiting maritime zones in particular, Gerapetritis stressed that Greece seeks to resolve such issues with its neighboring countries on the basis of the International Law of the Sea.
The two countries, as states with designated coastlines, agreed to discuss the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone in the near future. As to the tender for hydrocarbon exploration in two blocks south of Crete, the Greek foreign minister stressed that Greece is exercising its sovereign rights based on international law and is not acting to the detriment of third parties.
Libya is divided between two rival administrations: the internationally recognized Government of National Unity (GNU) in Tripoli and the Government of National Stability (GNS) in the east. The latter, whose officials were also visited by Gerapetritis in early July, recently made headlines for expelling a European delegation that included Greece’s Minister of Migration, Thanos Plevris.
