The Turkish-Libyan memorandum is null and void and baseless, reiterated Greece’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Aglaia Balta, in response to Turkish allegations during a Security Council meeting on “Emerging Technologies and Maritime Security,” under the Greek Presidency, noting that international law cannot be applied selectively.
Earlier, Turkey’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ahmet Yildiz, responding to remarks by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, argued that “this Council is not a court for delimiting maritime zones” 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 reflects the Libyan people’s support for it.
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The Turkish Permanent Representative argued that the memorandum “does not define or prejudge the rights of states that are not parties to it,” and, referring to the Greek islands, stated that “Turkey does not dispute the existence, population, or sovereignty of these islands.” As he noted, “the legal issue is different. It concerns the weight that should be attributed to the islands when delimiting overlapping maritime claims.” He cited international case law regarding the non-automatic full effect of islands and recalled that Turkey is not a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. At the same time, she reiterated Erdogan’s proposal for an Eastern Mediterranean Conference, referring to the rights of Turkish Cypriots and the pseudo-state.
Responding to the Turkish allegations, Greece’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Aglaia Balta, reiterated the Greek position that “Greece categorically rejects the so-called Turkish-Libyan memorandum on maritime delimitation,” emphasizing that “it runs counter to both geography and international law.” He stressed that its recent alleged ratification by the Libyan House of Representatives cannot alter its legal character as “null and void” and that “it produces no legal effect.” “Geography cannot be redrawn. This is not just a slogan,” she stressed, adding that “nor can an agreement between two states infringe upon the sovereign rights of a third state.”
Ms. Balta further emphasized that “international law cannot be applied selectively to serve unilateral claims,” citing Greece’s maritime delimitation agreements with Italy and Egypt. Responding to Turkey’s request to discuss maritime delimitation in the Security Council, she emphasized 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. It is the Council’s very purpose.”
The Turkish Permanent Representative reiterated that “substantive negotiations are required” and that he hopes they will take place as soon as possible.
In her closing remarks, Ms. Balta emphasized that “Greece has consistently sought good-neighborly relations with Turkey, based on mutual respect, international law, and the principles of the United Nations Charter.”
“We remain committed to dialogue and the peaceful resolution of disputes; however, meaningful dialogue requires respect for international law, sovereignty, and sovereign rights,” she concluded.
