Israel, Greece, Cyprus Boost Military Ties, Criticize Turkish Maritime Deal

Israel, Greece, and Cyprus have agreed to strengthen their security cooperation, focusing on shared strategic challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean. The decision came after a trilateral meeting in Athens between high-ranking defense officials from the three nations.

Discussions centered on maritime security, counter-terrorism, and developing defense industry partnerships. The countries plan to explore joint development and production of military equipment and enhance technological cooperation, with a potential trilateral working group for defense industries being considered. They also addressed protecting critical infrastructure, securing sea lanes and energy supplies, and disaster preparedness.

A significant portion of the talks involved Turkey. In a joint statement, the three nations strongly criticized the maritime border delimitation agreement between Ankara and Libya's Government of National Accord, which they deem violates international law and the sovereign rights of third states. They asserted the deal has no legal effect on them.

Furthermore, Israel, Greece, and Cyprus reaffirmed their support for Cyprus's sovereignty and territorial integrity. While not explicitly naming other countries, they denounced unilateral territorial claims, threats of force, and military actions that could destabilize the region. They also emphasized the need to counter terrorism, sophisticated weaponry proliferation, and destabilizing actions by state and non-state actors, stating no regional country should be a platform for threats to regional security.

The three partners aim to make their partnership a cornerstone of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and a bridge between Europe and the Middle East. They highlighted the strategic importance of energy cooperation, freedom of navigation, and protecting essential infrastructure, noting their trilateral framework is open to other like-minded partners.