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Türkiye is ready to sign a maritime boundary agreement with Egypt that could give Cairo more than 15,000 square kilometers of additional maritime jurisdiction compared with a potential deal with Greece, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday.
Ministry sources made the remarks while responding to reporters' questions following the ministry's weekly press briefing, welcoming the Libyan House of Representatives' approval of the 2019 Türkiye-Libya maritime memorandum and reaffirming Ankara's commitment to protecting its rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The sources emphasized that any maritime delimitation agreement should safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of coastal states while contributing to regional stability.
Highlighting the importance of cooperation based on mutual interests, the ministry sources renewed Ankara's offer to negotiate a maritime boundary agreement with Cairo.
“In this context, we once again emphasize that we are ready to sign an agreement with Egypt on the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas in line with mutual interests,” the sources said.
“It is assessed that, should Egypt sign such an agreement with our country, it would have more than 15,000 square kilometers of additional maritime jurisdiction compared with a potential agreement it could sign with Greece.
“Our country will continue to protect its legitimate rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean within the framework of international law and contribute to regional peace, security and stability.”
Egypt has previously raised objections to the Türkiye-Libya maritime agreement over concerns regarding its own maritime rights and declared boundaries.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, however, has defended the 2019 agreement, describing it as "entirely legitimate" under international law and from a political perspective.
"This is an entirely legitimate agreement, both from a legal and a political perspective. There is no need to debate it," Fidan told Anadolu Agency during a visit to Brussels.
Fidan also reaffirmed Türkiye's determination to pursue diplomatic initiatives aimed at promoting peace, security, stability and prosperity in the Mediterranean.
“Our diplomacy has no other purpose than this,” he said.
The Defense Ministry also welcomed the Libyan House of Representatives' Oct. 20 approval of the maritime memorandum, describing the decision as an important development supporting Türkiye's approach based on international law and the principles of equity.
The eastern-based Libyan parliament's approval marks a significant development for the agreement, which has remained a source of geopolitical tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The memorandum was signed in Istanbul on Nov. 27, 2019, during talks between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and then-Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.
The agreement was formally signed by the countries' foreign ministers at the time, Mevlut Cavusoglu and Mohamed Taher Siyala, and entered into force on Dec. 8, 2019, according to the United Nations treaty record.
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The parliament's decision received support from several Libyan political institutions, including the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, the parliament-appointed administration in eastern Libya and the High Council of State.
Saddam Haftar, deputy commander of forces based in eastern Libya, also welcomed the approval, alongside Presidential Council Vice Chairman Moussa al-Koni and former High Council of State President Khaled al-Mishri.
Libyan House of Representatives Speaker Salihin Abdunnebi defended the decision Monday, describing the memorandum approved by parliament as “a sovereign decision taken in accordance with international law that protects Libya’s interests.”
The agreement has drawn criticism from Greece and the European Union, reflecting longstanding disagreements over maritime jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Türkiye and Libya have maintained regular high-level diplomatic exchanges, with Ankara repeatedly emphasizing its support for Libya's unity, political dialogue and stability.
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