The Tripoli-based government of national unity (GNU) took a “page out of the Turkish handbook” on Thursday, charging that Greece is “violating” Libya’s sovereign rights by delimitating and auctioning off two blocks for hydrocarbon exploration south of Crete.
The provisional Libyan government, which still retains international recognition, is apparently “doubling down” on a 2019 Turko-Libyan maritime agreement sharply criticized by Greece as illegal and unfounded. The agreement mostly skirts around the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), “erasing” all Greek island territory – including the large island of Crete – from any impact on EEZ.
The announcement comes days after Athens said an international invitation of interest for allocating exploration and exploitation rights in two maritime blocks south of Crete.
The Libyan government, which controls the west of the large North African country, claimed the move by Greece constitutes a blatant violation of its sovereign rights, while claiming that the move would lead to more tension in the Mediterranean basin.
Since signing the controversial and internationally unrecognized deal with Ankara, the GNU has echoed Turkey’s unilateralist views on maritime issues, i.e. an a la carte application of UNCLOS provisions.
Among others, multinational Chevron has already announced an interest in the two blocks.
Gerapetritis visit
The reaction by the Tripoli government also comes a day after the GNU’s energy minister met with the Turkish ambassador in the country.
It’s also noteworthy that Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis is due to travel to Libya in the coming period, possibly in early July.
A copy of the controversial Turkey-Libya maritime accord that Greece and most of the west consider illegal.
