Erdogan Warns Greece And EU Over Attempts To Sideline Türkiye In Eastern Mediterranean

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned against efforts to exclude Türkiye from the Eastern Mediterranean, demanding respect for its maritime agreement with Libya after the country's eastern parliament reversed years of opposition to the pact.

Speaking after a Cabinet meeting in Ankara on Monday, Erdogan rejected criticism from the European Union and regional governments, which argue that the agreement violates the maritime rights of neighboring states.

"I once again remind those seeking to exclude Türkiye from the Eastern Mediterranean that we expect them to respect the shared will of our country and Libya," Erdogan said.

Erdogan Rejects European Objections

The Turkish president challenged the EU's response to the agreement, insisting that Ankara was defending its maritime claims rather than seeking confrontation with other countries.

"There is no legitimate justification for the reactions, particularly from the EU, following the approval of the Türkiye-Libya maritime agreement. We are not trying to score goals against anyone in the Eastern Mediterranean, so to speak. We are simply concerned with protecting our maritime jurisdiction rights and interests."

His remarks followed a vote by Libya's eastern-based House of Representatives on October 20 to approve the maritime agreement signed between Ankara and Tripoli in 2019.

The decision prompted renewed objections from Greece, Cyprus, Egypt and the EU, which dispute the agreement's legal basis and its implications for maritime boundaries in the Eastern Mediterranean.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed regret over the approval and reiterated the EU's position that the agreement infringes the rights of third countries and does not comply with the law of the sea.

Greece similarly rejected the agreement's validity, arguing that Türkiye and Libya lack the opposing or adjacent coastlines needed to establish the maritime boundary claimed under the pact.

Egypt declared the agreement legally ineffective, while Cyprus maintained its objections over the implications for its own maritime rights.

Eastern Libya Reverses Its Position

The dispute has intensified following a significant political shift in eastern Libya, where lawmakers who previously opposed Ankara's maritime arrangement have now endorsed it.

Meeting in Benghazi on October 20, the House of Representatives unanimously approved the 2019 agreement and rescinded resolutions adopted in 2020 that had rejected the arrangement and severed political relations with Türkiye.

The vote marked a reversal for the eastern parliament, which is aligned with Khalifa Haftar and had previously opposed Ankara's cooperation with Libya's Tripoli-based authorities.

The original agreement was signed in Istanbul on November 27, 2019, by Erdogan and Fayez al-Sarraj, then head of Libya's internationally recognized Government of National Accord.

It establishes a maritime boundary between Türkiye and Libya across the Eastern Mediterranean, extending south of the Greek island of Crete.

A separate security and military cooperation agreement was concluded at the same time.

Ankara welcomed the eastern parliament's decision, with the Turkish Foreign Ministry describing the approval as a significant development.

Erdogan had also endorsed the vote on October 21, before returning to the dispute in his post-Cabinet remarks five days later.

Maritime Claims Remain Disputed

The agreement forms a central element of Türkiye's maritime strategy, commonly known as the Blue Homeland doctrine, which asserts broad jurisdictional claims in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Ankara argues that maritime boundaries should be determined according to equitable principles and disputes the extent of the maritime zones claimed by Greek islands, including Crete.

Greece and the EU reject Türkiye's interpretation, maintaining that the 2019 agreement encroaches on the maritime entitlements of other states.

Türkiye, which is not a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, maintains that the agreement is consistent with international law and has been in force since 2019.

The dispute also carries implications for offshore energy exploration, particularly in contested waters south and east of Crete.

The approval by eastern Libya's parliament strengthens Ankara's political position by bringing the country's two principal rival political camps closer to a common stance on the maritime agreement.

It does not, however, resolve the objections raised by neighboring countries or the EU.

Erdogan Calls For Libyan Unity

Erdogan also linked Türkiye's position on the maritime agreement to its broader diplomatic engagement with Libya, calling for an end to the country's internal divisions.

"As Türkiye, we no longer want to see division or discord in Libya or any other part of the Islamic world. God willing, this desire of ours will become a reality in Libya as well."

He said Ankara would maintain dialogue with all relevant actors to support that objective.

Türkiye previously supported the Tripoli-based government militarily during Haftar's 2019-2020 offensive but has since expanded its engagement with political authorities in eastern Libya.

The eastern parliament's reversal follows that diplomatic outreach and marks a change in the relationship between Ankara and authorities that had previously rejected its agreements with Tripoli.

Erdogan also said Türkiye was working to reduce regional tensions while opposing what he described as expansionist ambitions.

His latest remarks underscore Ankara's determination to defend its maritime claims despite continuing opposition from the EU and several eastern Mediterranean governments.