Greece, Türkiye clash at UN over Turkish-Libyan maritime deal
A diplomatic confrontation between Greece and Türkiye over the Turkish-Libyan memorandum unfolded at a UN Security Council meeting on "Emerging Technologies and Maritime Security", held under the Greek Presidency.
Responding to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Türkiye’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ahmet Yildiz said that this Council is not a maritime delimitation court and that a map may illustrate a claim, but it cannot adjudicate it.
He defended the Turkish-Libyan memorandum, claiming that it "has been in force since 2019", while noting that the recent parliamentary action in Libya reflected the Libyan people's support for it, CE Report quotes ANA-MPA.
The Turkish Permanent Representative argued that the memorandum neither determines nor prejudges the rights of States that are not involved. Referring to the Greek islands, he said that Türkiye does not dispute the existence, population or sovereignty of these islands. As he said, the legal issue is different. It concerns the effect to be given to islands when delimiting overlapping maritime claims, he added.
He invoked international case law to argue that islands are not automatically entitled to full effect in maritime delimitation and recalled that Türkiye is not a party to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Responding to Türkiye's allegations, Greece's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Aglaia Balta, reiterated Greece's position that "Greece categorically rejects the so-called Turkish-Libyan memorandum on maritime delimitation", stressing that it opposes both geography and international law.
She underlined that its recent so-called ratification by Libya's House of Representatives could not alter its legal character as "null and void" and that it "produces no legal effect."
"Geography cannot be reshaped. This is not a slogan," she stressed, adding that "an agreement between two States cannot prejudice the sovereign rights of a third State."
Balta also stressed that "international law cannot be applied selectively to serve unilateral claims", citing Greece's maritime delimitation agreements with Italy and Egypt.
Responding to Türkiye's objection to discussing maritime delimitation at the Security Council, she pointed out that respect for the Law of the Sea lies at the heart of maritime security, adding that recalling the rules governing our seas does not constitute an abuse of the Council, but this is precisely its purpose.
In her final intervention, Balta stressed that "Greece has consistently pursued good-neighbourly relations with Türkiye, based on mutual respect, international law and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
"We remain committed to dialogue and the peaceful settlement of disputes. However, meaningful dialogue requires respect for international law, sovereignty and sovereign rights," she concluded.
Photo AI
