Theme: Libya

Libya’s eastern-based parliament in Tobruk reversed years of opposition and approved the 2019 maritime agreement between Tripoli and Türkiye, which Greece says disregards the rights of its islands, including Crete, and Turkiye hosted talks between Libya’s eastern and western administrations with the ultimate goal of reunifying them, with no agreement so far.

Libyan Presidential Council Chairman Mohammad Al-Manfi told Vladimir Putin he expects to develop a strategic partnership with Moscow, according to Sputnik. Al-Manfi said expanding cooperation with Russia remains important for Libya despite Western pressure, and voiced hope that Russian oil companies will return to the country.

Libya’s eastern parliament, the House of Representatives aligned with Haftar in Benghazi, ratified the 2019 maritime deal with Turkey on October 20, and the country’s two rival governments now recognize the boundary that runs between Crete and Cyprus, according to OilPrice. The line leaves Greek islands in the area with no sea beyond their territorial waters, and Ankara is pursuing the same kind of deal with Damascus.

Libya’s eastern parliament unanimously approved a maritime agreement with Turkey on Tuesday establishing a direct maritime economic corridor between the two countries. Greece condemned the approval and called the deal a violation of international law.

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that the memorandum signed between Turkey and the government in eastern Libya led by Khalifa Haftar “is null and void, carries no legal effect, and that its ratification by the Libyan House of Representatives entails no legal consequences whatsoever for Egypt”. On Tuesday, Libya’s eastern government approved the agreement with Turkey establishing a maritime boundary between the two countries despite the presence of Greek islands, particularly Crete, between their coastlines. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan rejected the criticism from Egypt, Greece and Israel.

Israel condemned on Wednesday a decision by the eastern-based parliament of divided Libya to ratify a memorandum of understanding with Turkey on maritime demarcations in the Mediterranean, the Times of Israel reported. Israel’s foreign ministry said the agreement infringes upon the sovereign rights of its close allies in the region and that, once again, Turkey is working to destabilize the eastern Mediterranean. Egypt reaffirmed that the memorandum “is null” and “possesses no legal effect”.

Libya’s eastern-based House of Representatives unanimously approved on Tuesday the memorandum of understanding signed on November 27, 2019, with Turkey that delimits the two countries’ maritime jurisdiction areas in the Mediterranean, according to TRT World. The memorandum was signed by Libya’s then internationally recognised Government of National Accord. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the decision on Wednesday. “I hope this important decision will be beneficial,” he said, according to TRT World.

Libya's eastern parliament approved a maritime boundaries deal with Turkey on Tuesday, drawing swift condemnation from Greece, which called it a violation of international law, Reuters reported in a text republished by ThePrint. Athens said the deal “remains illegal, null and void, contravenes international law of the sea, and infringes upon the sovereign rights of states in the region.” In the same report, Turkey's foreign ministry welcomed the Libyan parliament's decision, saying the agreement respected the mutual rights and interests of both countries under international law and the principles of equity.

Libya's Parliament reversed course and unanimously approved the memorandum of understanding on the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction in the Mediterranean signed with Türkiye, according to TRT World. House spokesperson Abdullah Bliheg announced that the chamber also voted unanimously to repeal Resolution No. 1 of 2020, which refused to ratify the two memoranda with Türkiye, and Resolution No. 6 of 2020, which called for severing political ties with Turkey, according to Alwasat News. The memorandum was signed between the former Government of National Accord (GNA) and Türkiye.

The eastern-based House of Representatives elected Al-Salhin Abdulnabi as speaker on Tuesday, replacing Aguila Saleh after nearly 12 years in the post, and elected Tarek al-Ashtar and Mesbah Douma as first and second deputy speakers, respectively, according to Reuters. The 170-member parliament voted to replace Saleh with Al-Salhin Abdulnabi, with the spokesperson’s announcement on X, according to Al Jazeera.

Four people were arrested after drones attacked the Zawiya oil station in western Libya and caused a fire, according to the Guardian. Three Libyans arrested were linked to Saddam Haftar, son of the Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar, who faces allegations he oversaw a “terror cell” that launched drone attacks on fuel facilities and power stations. The Tripoli-based Government of National Unity says working with Saddam Haftar is “impossible”. The tank that was hit held about 4.5 million litres of fuel.