Just days after U.S. energy giant Chevron expressed formal interest in hydrocarbon exploration south of Crete, Athens has delivered a firm response to Libya’s latest diplomatic note asserting claims in the Eastern Mediterranean under the Turkey-Libya maritime accord. The timing comes ahead of a scheduled meeting between Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and his Libyan counterpart next week.
In its letter, Greece refutes Tripoli’s assertions, stressing once again that the Turkey-Libya memorandum is legally void, as the two states do not share opposing coastlines and therefore cannot establish common maritime boundaries. Athens underlines that the deal violates the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea by disregarding the sovereign rights of Greek islands, particularly Crete and the Dodecanese.
The Greek side also reiterates that offshore blocks south of Crete—areas recently eyed by Chevron—fall squarely under Greek jurisdiction. Libya had earlier challenged Greece’s right to issue exploration licenses, arguing that the median line should be drawn solely from continental coasts. Athens responded with a detailed demarche to the United Nations in August, defending its position.
Greece further rejects Libya’s delineation of its continental shelf as outlined in the May 27 note, pointing out irregularities in the use of straight baselines and the closure of the Gulf of Sirte, both incompatible with international maritime law.
It also notes that Tripoli’s eastern boundary mirrors the contours of the contested Turkey-Libya accord, once again sidelining the rights of Greek islands and even the potential extension of territorial waters to 12 nautical miles.
Diplomatic sources in Athens view Libya’s stance as effectively dictated by Ankara, dovetailing with Turkey’s “Blue Homeland” doctrine. Greek officials stress that while the immediate exchanges are with Tripoli, the broader confrontation is with Turkish revisionism in the region.
The upcoming Gerapetritis–Libyan foreign minister meeting is expected to test whether dialogue on Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf delimitation—frozen since 2010—can resume.
Greece has already set up a technical committee, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou, but insists that any meaningful progress hinges on Libya abandoning the Turkey-Libya memorandum.
Source: tovima.com
