Greece and partners warn Libya-Turkey maritime deal threatens Mediterranean stability
Greece's foreign minister delivered a joint statement in New York, backed by Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE, warning that eastern Libya's ratification of the 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime deal threatens stability. Erdogan rejected the criticism; Libya's UN envoy called the deal sovereign.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2On Monday 26 October, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis told reporters in New York that the vote by Libya's eastern-based House of Representatives to ratify a 2019 maritime agreement with Turkey "raises serious concerns for regional security and stability". The NationalN “the vote by Libya’s House of Representatives in the country's east to finally ratify a 2019 preliminary agreement with Turkey “raises serious concerns for regional security and stability"” Read at The National ↗ The Straits TimesRC “the maritime accord raised "serious concerns for regional security and stability"” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Mixed · 2He delivered the statement jointly with other parties: The National lists Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, the EU and the UAE, while Reuters, carried by the Straits Times, describes it as Greece and three Arab countries (Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE). The NationalN “Greece, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, the EU and the UAE warned on Monday” Read at The National ↗ The Straits TimesRC “Greece and the three Arab countries said the maritime accord raised” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Mixed · 2The statement said such "arbitrary bilateral arrangements" could undermine established rules of international law or prejudice other states' rights. The NationalN “ensuring that arbitrary bilateral arrangements do not undermine established rules of international law or prejudice the rights of other states” Read at The National ↗ The Straits TimesRC “could set a bad precedent by allowing "arbitrary bilateral arrangements"” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Centre · 1Gerapetritis said the memorandum disregards the maritime entitlements of coastal states, including islands under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The NationalN “disregards geographical realities and the maritime entitlements of all relevant coastal States, including the maritime entitlements of islands under UNCLOS” Read at The National ↗ Centre · 1An unnamed diplomat told The National that Turkey and Libya have no adjacent or opposite coasts and therefore no common maritime boundary, and that the memorandum and its ratification are "null and void" and of no legal effect. The NationalN “The memorandum is null and void and produces no legal consequences.” Read at The National ↗ Mixed · 2The agreement was signed by Ankara and Libya's internationally recognised government in Tripoli; it sets out a maritime corridor between Turkey's southern coast and Libya's northern coast, letting both assert economic rights over possible oil and gas reserves. The NationalN “establishes a maritime corridor between Turkey's southern coast and Libya's northern coast” Read at The National ↗ The Straits TimesRC “The Libya-Turkey accord was agreed by Libya’s internationally recognised government in Tripoli in the west” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Mixed · 2The rival eastern administration under commander Khalifa Haftar had withheld approval for years, but Turkey's ties with Haftar have improved, including regular Turkish visits to Benghazi and heavy investment. The Straits TimesRC “Turkish officials paying regular visits to Haftar’s de facto capital, Benghazi, and investing heavily in construction and other sectors” Read at The Straits Times ↗ The NationalN “opposed the agreement for years” Read at The National ↗ Centre · 1Libya's UN envoy, Taher El Sonni, told The National the deal was a "sovereign decision" and a "legitimate agreement", and that states challenging it should use legal avenues including the International Court of Justice. The NationalN “it was a "sovereign decision" and that countries challenging it should pursue legal avenues, including the International Court of Justice” Read at The National ↗ Mixed · 2Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that criticism from the EU and others had "no legitimate basis", adding that Turkey was not seeking to score points against anyone. The NationalN “criticism from the EU and others had “no legitimate basis”” Read at The National ↗ The Straits TimesRC “reactions from the European Union and others to the approval of the agreement had no legitimate basis” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Centre · 1The EU said the deal violates third countries' sovereign rights, and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, speaking in Cairo, said agreements incompatible with the law of the sea should not be recognised; Egypt had earlier called the deal null and void. The NationalN “agreements that were incompatible with the convention should not be recognised or accepted”“Egypt, a long-time supporter of the eastern Libyan authorities, also rejected the deal last week” Read at The National ↗ Mixed · 2The National says the deal could complicate the proposed EastMed gas pipeline from Israel and Cyprus through Greece to Europe; Reuters notes Greece has since licensed a Chevron-led consortium to explore for gas off Crete and has sought its own boundary agreement with Libya, which Athens says it remains ready to pursue. The NationalN “The pipeline is intended to strengthen Europe's energy security” Read at The National ↗ The Straits TimesRC “Greece has awarded a Chevron -led consortium a licence to look for gas off the island of Crete” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- The National leads with the six-party warning and the legal case against the deal, backed by an anonymous diplomat and the EU and UN, with Libya's envoy and Erdogan given a response.
- Emphasis
- UNCLOS and island entitlements, the EastMed pipeline, the Tripoli–Haftar divide and Egypt's earlier rejection.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the Chevron licence off Crete or Greece's pursuit of its own boundary talks with Libya.
- Charged language
- “blatant refashioning of geography”“null and void”
- For example
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“a "blatant refashioning of geography" that violates international maritime law” — The National
“Libya's UN envoy, Taher El Sonni, defended the agreement” — The National
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Reuters copy carried by the Straits Times frames the Arab backing for Greece as a diplomatic shift widening a bilateral dispute into a regional push, raising pressure on Turkey and Libya.
- Emphasis
- Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE aligning with Greece; energy projects; Turkey's growing ties with Haftar.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Cyprus and the EU as co-signatories, Libya's envoy's defence, or the pipeline.
- Charged language
- “aligned with Greece”
- For example
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“increasing diplomatic pressure on Turkey and Libya over maritime zones and future energy projects” — The Straits Times
What every side reports
- Gerapetritis delivered a joint statement in New York on Monday warning the deal raises serious concerns for regional security and stability.
- Libya's eastern House of Representatives ratified the 2019 Turkey-Libya agreement.
- Erdogan said criticism from the EU and others had no legitimate basis.
- Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE backed the statement.
Where accounts differ
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Who joined Greece's statement
- Centre
- The National: Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, the EU and the UAE.
- Right
- Reuters via Straits Times: Greece and three Arab countries (Egypt, Bahrain, UAE).
-
Legality of the deal
- Centre
- Greece's side and an anonymous diplomat call it null and void; Libya's envoy calls it legitimate.
- Right
- Reuters says Greece and Cyprus say it infringes their maritime claims; Erdogan defends Turkey's policy.
Greece place
Says the Turkey-Libya memorandum disregards island entitlements under UNCLOS, threatens stability and sets a dangerous precedent; remains ready to negotiate its own boundary with Libya.
“raises serious concerns for regional security and stability” — The National
“Athens stood ready to continue the effort” — The Straits Times
George Gerapetritis person
Delivered the joint statement in New York and urged Libya to foster good relations with neighbours in line with maritime rules.
“called on Libya to foster good relations with neighbours in line with maritime rules” — The Straits Times
Libya place
Its UN envoy calls the deal a legitimate sovereign decision, welcomes bilateral talks with neighbours and points challengers to the ICJ.
“we respect also all views of all neighbouring countries, and we try to have bilateral discussions with them” — The National
Türkiye place
Erdogan says criticism has no legitimate basis and that Turkey seeks no advantage over others in the eastern Mediterranean.
““We are not seeking to score points against anyone in the eastern Mediterranean,”” — The National
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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Greece warns Libya’s Turkey maritime deal threatens Mediterranean stability
Neutral Earlier version of the same report, centred on Gerapetritis's warning and the joint statement.
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Libya-Turkey maritime deal threatens Mediterranean stability, six parties warn
Neutral Detailed account of the joint statement with legal arguments from Greece's side and responses from Libya's envoy and Erdogan.
Right2 articles
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The Straits TimesRC · · via Reuters
Three Arab states back Greece in dispute over Turkey-Libya maritime accord
Neutral Reuters wire copy framing Arab support as a regional diplomatic push against Turkey and Libya.
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- 26 Oct 22:59 First The NationalN Greece warns Libya’s Turkey maritime deal threatens Mediterranean stability
- 26 Oct 22:59 First The NationalN Libya-Turkey maritime deal threatens Mediterranean stability, six parties warn
- 27 Oct 11:00 +12h 1m The Straits TimesRC Three Arab states back Greece in dispute over Turkey-Libya maritime accord via Reuters
- 27 Oct 12:00 +13h Washington ExaminerR How Erdogan just outmaneuvered NATO in the Mediterranean Opinion
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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