Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday said that the bilateral agreement with Libya on maritime delineation was signed in line with international law, and, in an apparent reference to Greece's criticism of the deal, added that Ankara would not discuss its sovereign rights with anyone
ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd December, 2019) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday said that the bilateral agreement with Libya on maritime delineation was signed in line with international law, and, in an apparent reference to Greece's criticism of the deal, added that Ankara would not discuss its sovereign rights with anyone.
On November 27, Turkey and the internationally recognized Libyan government signed a memorandum that set a new maritime border between them, which runs through a zone in the Mediterranean that Greece and Cyprus claim as theirs. Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias has threatened to expel the Libyan ambassador and declare him persona non grata if he fails to disclose the memorandum's text.
"We have signed the agreement with Libya within international law. It is our sovereign right, and we are not going to discuss it with anyone," Erdogan said at a press encounter in Ankara before departing to the NATO summit in London.
The Turkish leader added that Greece was free to act as it saw fit, but that Ankara "has a right to act its way too."
The memorandum appears to deepen the existing criticism of Turkey by Europe as Ankara continues its drilling activity in the Cyprus-claimed waters of the Mediterranean. The area in question is believed to be rich in hydrocarbon reserves, and Turkey and Cyprus both claim their right to drill for natural resources.
