Libya’s acting Foreign Minister Taher al-Baour defended the country’s maritime agreement with Türkiye, saying it was not aimed at other states as objections to its Mediterranean claims persist.
In an interview aired Monday on Al Jazeera, al-Baour described the agreement as a sovereign choice for Libya and Türkiye. He also said Libya did not intend to heighten regional tensions.
The memorandum, signed in Istanbul on Nov. 27, 2019, by Türkiye and Libya’s then-Government of National Accord, sets out maritime boundaries claimed by the two countries in the Mediterranean.
Libya’s House of Representatives unanimously approved the memorandum on Oct. 20. The vote also repealed two decisions from 2020: one rejected ratification of memorandums with Türkiye, while the other severed political ties with Ankara.
The Foreign Ministry of Libya’s Tripoli-based Government of National Unity welcomed the vote, saying it could strengthen ties with Türkiye and support regional cooperation.
Greece says the pact fails to respect maritime entitlements linked to Greek islands. The European Union says it infringes on sovereign rights held by states outside the agreement, leaving its effects beyond Libya and Türkiye disputed.
