Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan defended Ankara’s maritime agreement with Libya, calling it legally and politically sound after Libya’s parliament approved the deal, a move opposed by Egypt, Greece, "Israel", and the European Union.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency in Brussels on Wednesday, Fidan said the agreement was “completely legitimate from both legal and political perspectives, and there is no need to debate it.” He welcomed the Libyan parliament’s decision as a diplomatic achievement for Turkey’s foreign policy under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Fidan stressed that Ankara considers the agreement, signed in 2019, to have remained in force since its conclusion and that the Libyan parliament’s recent decision was “an acceptance of the agreement rather than a new ratification.”

Addressing the objections, Fidan said, “Some countries feel compelled to object, while other countries have genuine strategic concerns about the agreement.” He added that Turkey would continue its diplomatic efforts to promote security, stability, and prosperity in the Mediterranean.

Egypt, Greece, and 'Israel' reject the agreement

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry rejected the Libyan parliament’s approval, stating that the decision had no legal effect on Egypt. Cairo argued that the memorandum violated international maritime law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, while infringing on its sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

The Ministry reaffirmed Egypt’s declared maritime boundaries and reserved its right to take measures to protect its interests. It also rejected any steps based on the agreement that it considers incompatible with Egypt’s maritime rights.

Greece’s Foreign Ministry likewise opposed the decision, arguing that the agreement lacked a legal basis and infringed on the maritime rights of other countries in the eastern Mediterranean. Athens maintained that Turkey and Libya do not have opposite or adjacent coastlines that would permit the maritime delimitation set out in the agreement under its interpretation of international law. It said it would take the necessary measures to safeguard Greece’s sovereign rights.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry also condemned the Libyan parliament’s approval, accusing Turkey of seeking to destabilize the eastern Mediterranean. The Ministry said the agreement affected the sovereign rights of "Israel’s" regional allies and rejected the Libyan decision.

EU reiterates opposition to maritime deal

European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also opposed the Libyan parliament’s decision, reiterating that the EU’s position on the agreement had not changed since 2019.

The two officials argued that the agreement conflicted with the law of the sea and infringed on the sovereign rights of other countries. They also reaffirmed the EU’s solidarity with Greece and Cyprus.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas raised Brussels’ objections during talks with Fidan, emphasizing the need to respect the sovereign rights of EU member states.

Fidan’s meetings in Brussels also covered Turkey-EU relations, regional security, the Russia-Ukraine war, the security of navigation in the Black Sea, and international maritime corridors.

Turkey and Libya welcome approval

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the Libyan parliament’s decision, describing it as a positive development in relations between the two countries.

Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus also spoke by phone with Libyan House of Representatives Speaker Saleh al-Namroush, expressing satisfaction with the agreement’s approval. Kurtulmus pledged that Ankara would strengthen cooperation with Libyan parties in both the east and west of the country.

He also reaffirmed Turkey’s support for United Nations efforts to establish stability in Libya. Al-Namroush, in turn, affirmed Libya’s commitment to continued cooperation with Ankara.

The Libyan parliament speaker described the agreement as “a sovereign decision that serves the interests of the Libyan people,” adding that it did not harm the interests of other countries.

Libya’s Government of National Unity Foreign Ministry, the High Council of State, Presidential Council Deputy Musa al-Koni, and Saddam Haftar, deputy commander-in-chief of the eastern Libyan forces, also welcomed the approval. They said it would “strengthen the country’s maritime and economic interests” and create broader opportunities for cooperation with Turkey.

Libya’s parliament reverses earlier rejection

The Libyan House of Representatives voted unanimously on Tuesday to adopt the memorandum of understanding signed by the former Government of National Accord and Turkey on the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas in the Mediterranean.

The parliament also repealed two decisions issued in 2020 that rejected ratification of the memorandums of understanding with Ankara and called for severing political relations with Turkey.

The agreement was signed in November 2019 by the government led by Fayez al-Sarraj and Turkey. It established maritime jurisdiction boundaries, including the continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

Ankara and Tripoli maintain that the agreement protects their maritime rights and supports economic cooperation, particularly in energy and oil and gas exploration. Greece, Egypt, "Israel", and Cyprus rejected the deal amid disagreements over maritime boundaries and rights to exploit natural resources in the eastern Mediterranean.