ATHENS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th January, 2020) The maritime boundaries agreement between Turkey and Libya's Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) should be recognized as illegal, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said on Monday at a press conference, following a meeting with his Cypriot counterpart, Nikos Christodoulides.
"For Greece there was a great deal at stake following the signing of the null and void memoranda by Turkey and the government in Tripoli. Consequently, what is of great and decisive importance for us -beyond bringing peace to a Mediterranean country- is recognition that these two alleged agreements are null and void," Dendias said, as quoted by the Greek Foreign Ministry.
The diplomat also said that this agreement not only violated international law and had no legal effect, but also attempted to "usurp" rights of other countries in the Mediterranean region and further destabilized the situation in Libya.
"We of course talked extensively about Turkey's illegal and provocative actions in the Mediterranean region. Actions that are no longer limited to the Aegean and the maritime zones of the Republic of Cyprus," Dendias stated.
Turkey-GNA maritime memorandum was signed in late November. The deal gives Ankara exploration rights to a number of gas-rich areas of the Mediterranean. Greece, Cyprus and Egypt have been criticizing the agreement ever since. On Wednesday, foreign ministers of these three countries, as well as Frances' Jean-Yves Le Drian, met in Cairo and condemned the deal in a joint statement.
