EU asks to see Turkey-Libya maritime border deal

The European Union on Wednesday called for the publication of a memorandum of understanding signed between Turkey and Libya which ostensibly delineates maritime borders between the two countries, and expressed its full support for the sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus.

“The European Union stands in full solidarity with Greece and Cyprus regarding recent actions by Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean, including the Aegean Sea. Turkey needs to respect the sovereignty and the sovereign rights of all EU member-states,” the European External Action Service (EEAS) said in a statement Wednesday.

“The bilateral MoU between Turkey and Libya of 27 November 2019 on maritime delimitation has not been made public. Further clarifications are needed on its content. We expect the text to be communicated to the European Union without delay,” it added.

EEAS also said it is “imperative” that the “international law of the sea, the principle of good neighbourly relations and the sovereignty and sovereign rights over the maritime zones of all neighbouring coastal states, including those generated by their islands, need to be respected.”