Libyan Lawmakers Ratify Maritime Corridor With Turkey, Ignoring Greek Claims

Libya's parliament voted unanimously on Tuesday to ratify a maritime agreement with Turkey. The measure establishes a direct economic corridor connecting the two nations' coastlines. Ankara welcomed the decision immediately, signaling a shift in Libyan politics from the eastern bloc that previously opposed the pact.

The corridor was originally negotiated in 2019 between Turkey and the UN-recognized Government of National Accord in western Libya. At that time, the rival government in the east rejected the arrangement. The eastern parliament has now reversed that stance, aligning with the Tripoli-based administration.

Recent surveys indicate that large natural gas reserves lie beneath the seabed in the designated zone. Estimates value these deposits at several hundred billion US dollars. Both Ankara and Tripoli intend to secure their rights to exploit these resources jointly. The planned route stretches from Turkey's southern coast to Libya's northern shore.

Athens objects to the corridor because it ignores the Greek islands of Crete, Karpathos, and Rhodes. Greece's Foreign Ministry stated on X that it firmly rejects the accord. The ministry added that the European Union supports this position, calling the memorandum null and void. Officials argued the deal violates the sovereign rights of third states and conflicts with the Law of the Sea.

Kaja Kallas, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, echoed these sentiments. She wrote on X that the Libyan vote infringes upon the sovereign rights of third states. She noted that she had raised the issue during recent diplomatic discussions.

The legal dispute centers on the interpretation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Article 121 grants inhabited islands that support an independent economic life the same exclusive economic zone rights as mainland territory. Athens argues this provision covers its major islands. It points to a 2022 International Court of Justice ruling in a case involving Colombia and Nicaragua, which emphasized fair demarcation based on coastline length and geography.

Turkey contends that Mediterranean geography requires special consideration. Ankara argues that if every small Greek island near its coast received a full exclusive economic zone, Turkey would be cut off from the open sea. Turkey has not signed the convention and does not accept arbitration by a UN tribunal. Legal experts remain divided on how to divide the maritime space fairly.

Political dynamics in Libya have changed since 2019, when Turkey intervened militarily to support the Tripoli government against eastern General Khalifa Hifter. Since then, Turkish firms have won billions of dollars in reconstruction contracts. Turkey's state oil company is conducting seismic surveys with Libya's National Oil Corporation. The new corridor also intersects the route of the planned EastMed pipeline, which aims to transport gas from Israel and Cyprus to Europe.