Turkey-Libya Maritime Deal Sparks Egyptian Anger, Threatens Regional Stability
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS Arabic by baba
Egypt, Greece, and Israel have strongly condemned Libya's ratification of a maritime border agreement with Turkey, citing threats to regional stability and sovereign rights. Egyptian officials argue the deal violates international law and encroaches on their economic waters, while Turkey defends it as a correction of unfair maritime rules. Experts suggest the dispute may not lead to a complete breakdown in Egyptian-Turkish relations, with calls for direct negotiations to resolve the conflicting claims in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Egypt, Greece, and Israel condemn Libya's maritime deal with Turkey, citing threats to regional stability.
- Egypt asserts the Turkish-Libyan demarcation violates international law and its economic waters.
- Turkey claims the agreement corrects historical maritime disadvantages favoring Greek islands.
- Experts suggest Egypt's strong reaction aims to improve negotiation terms with Turkey.
- Calls are made for direct negotiations between Turkey, Egypt, and Libya to resolve the dispute.
The Libyan Parliament's ratification of a maritime border demarcation agreement with Turkey has ignited widespread regional opposition, particularly from Egypt, Greece, and Israel. These nations view the deal as a threat to regional stability and their sovereign rights in exclusive economic zones. Political and legal experts discussed the potential implications of this agreement on bilateral relations and strategic arrangements in the Eastern Mediterranean during a program on i24NEWS.
Egypt's stance, according to international affairs specialist Dr. Hani Suleiman, is based on strict legal and geographical principles derived from international maritime law. He stated that the Turkish-Libyan demarcation lines were drawn unilaterally, disregarding correct geographical standards and the impact of inhabited islands like Crete and Cyprus. Suleiman also noted that the agreement encroaches on Egypt's economic boundaries near Salloum and extends towards Palestine's economic waters. He emphasized that Turkey should have consulted Cairo, especially given the recent positive developments in Egyptian-Turkish relations. Egypt intends to pursue all official diplomatic and legal avenues to protect its sovereignty, though this does not necessarily signal a complete collapse of the rapprochement process.
Conversely, political researcher and academic Dr. Mohannad Hafiz Oglu explained that Turkey's move aims to correct a historical imbalance where its continental shelf was disadvantaged by maritime rules favoring Greece's small islands. Oglu questioned Egypt's delayed strong reaction since the original agreement was signed in 2019. He suggested that the crisis might not lead to a complete rupture, attributing Egypt's heightened response to a desire to improve negotiation terms and solidify its strategic commitment to European allies. The Turkish academic advocated for a "file separation" approach, maintaining broad security, political, and intelligence cooperation between Ankara and Cairo while opening direct, smaller negotiation channels involving Turkey, Egypt, and Libya to reach a mutually agreeable settlement.
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