Diplomatic sources in Athens have reportedly expressed satisfaction with the progress of the country’s diplomatic re-engagement with both of Libya’s rival power centers, in Tripoli and Benghazi, respectively, ahead of a visit by Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou aimed at advancing bilateral contacts.

The foreign ministry said that during Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis’ recent visit to western and eastern Libya in late April, Greece and the government of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah agreed on the readiness of both countries, as states with opposite coastlines in the Mediterranean, to continue discussions on the delimitation of their exclusive economic zones (EEZs) in accordance with international maritime law (UNCLOS).

The issue is expected to feature prominently in upcoming contacts, as Athens seeks to revive dialogue with both sides of Libya’s political divide while countering challenges stemming from competing maritime claims in the eastern Mediterranean.

The talks are also expected to address a sharp increase in irregular migration flows from eastern Libya toward Greece, particularly along the so-called “Tobruk-Gavdos-Crete” route, which has emerged in recent months as one of the busiest migrant smuggling routes into the European Union.

The diplomatic outreach comes as Greece has intensified engagement with both the internationally recognized authorities in Tripoli and the eastern-based administration in Benghazi, amid growing concern over migration pressures and renewed tensions surrounding maritime jurisdiction claims. Greek officials have repeatedly stressed that any future maritime delimitation agreement must be based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which Athens views as the appropriate legal framework for resolving disputes in the eastern Mediterranean.