By Abbas Nazil
Greece has officially rejected Libya’s maritime claims in the Eastern Mediterranean in a formal statement submitted to the United Nations, affirming that its activities in the region fully comply with international law and existing bilateral agreements.
The rejection follows Libya’s objection to Greece’s international tender for oil and gas exploration south of Crete, which Tripoli claims infringes on its sovereign maritime rights.
Greece, however, insists that the designated maritime blocks lie entirely within its continental shelf, as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both countries are signatories.
According to Athens, the boundaries of these blocks have been determined based on the median line between Greece and Libya, taking into account both mainland and island coastlines.
This median line approach is consistent with Greece’s broader position that islands—including Crete, Rhodes, and the Dodecanese—have full rights to their own Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and continental shelves.
The maritime dispute centers on the 2019 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Turkey and Libya’s former Government of National Accord.
This agreement outlined a controversial sea corridor stretching between Turkey and Libya, effectively ignoring the presence and maritime rights of Greek islands situated along the route.
Greece and several other members of the international community consider this MoU to be a clear breach of UNCLOS principles.
In its UN filing, Greece argued that the Turkish-Libyan agreement is legally invalid and has no standing under international law because it deliberately omits the existence of Greek islands and their entitlements to maritime zones.
Greece also dismissed Libyan maritime maps that reflect the 2019 MoU as legally baseless and in direct conflict with UNCLOS, particularly where they challenge Greece’s sovereign rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Athens reaffirmed that any energy exploration activities it undertakes in the region are conducted strictly within the boundaries of its legal maritime zones, and do not encroach upon Libya’s territorial claims.
Despite the sharp disagreements, Greece has reiterated its willingness to enter into diplomatic dialogue with Libya to peacefully resolve the ongoing dispute over maritime delimitation.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced the formation of a technical negotiating team to open discussions with Libyan counterparts.
Greece’s readiness to engage in talks is seen as part of a broader effort to de-escalate tensions that have remained high since the 2019 deal between Turkey and Libya’s transitional government, which Athens views as an unlawful encroachment on its maritime sovereignty.
While expressing firm opposition to Libya’s claims, Greece maintains that diplomacy remains the path forward to establishing mutually recognized maritime boundaries in accordance with international law.
