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The European Union's foreign policy chief said Tuesday that a maritime boundary agreement between Türkiye and Libya violates the sovereign rights of third countries and contradicts international law, even as Ankara moves to strengthen ties with all Libyan factions.
Kaja Kallas, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, told state-run news agency AMNA the 2019 memorandum of understanding between Türkiye and Libya "is not consistent with customary law based on the law of the sea and cannot produce legal consequences for third states."
"The EU has a strategic interest in a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean and continues to expect all countries to respect the sovereignty and sovereign rights of all member states, in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," Kallas reportedly said.
The top diplomat emphasized that avoiding unilateral actions remains crucial for regional stability.
"Refraining from unilateral actions that run counter to the interests of the EU and violate international law and the sovereign rights of member states remains a key prerequisite for ensuring a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean," she added.
Kallas noted that the European Council reiterated in June 2025 that the Türkiye-Libya memorandum on delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas in the Mediterranean violates third countries' sovereign rights.
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In a significant development, Libya's eastern-based House of Representatives (HoR), which initially opposed the 2019 maritime deal, has announced the formation of a technical committee to re-examine the agreement.
Media reports suggest the HoR is now considering ratifying the accord, interpreted as part of a broader thaw in relations between Ankara and the eastern Libyan administration.
The 2019 maritime delimitation agreement between Türkiye and Libya's internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) delineates Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) between the two countries, granting them sovereign rights over potentially hydrocarbon-rich maritime areas.
If ratified by the HoR, unified Libyan support for the agreement would enhance its political weight and improve implementation prospects.
Such approval could allow Türkiye to begin seismic surveys and drilling operations without triggering a domestic crisis in Libya.
Libya's National Oil Company (NOC) recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Turkish state oil company TPAO to conduct geological and geophysical studies of four offshore areas, suggesting movement toward joint energy development.
Türkiye has positioned itself as a stabilizing actor in Libya, backing the Tripoli-based government while seeking to transform allied militias into a unified army under the 2019 Military Training and Cooperation Agreement.
Since 2022, Ankara has also engaged with eastern factions.
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