Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan directly in Istanbul on Friday that Eg...

Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan directly in Istanbul on Friday that Egypt categorically rejects the 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum, calling it null and void with no legal effect on Egypt. The blunt message was delivered during a face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the quadrilateral mechanism summit, which for the first time brought together Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan alongside France, Germany, and the UK in a new "R4+E3" format. Abdelatty confirmed the meeting on X, saying he affirmed Egypt's categorical rejection of the Libyan House of Representatives' ratification of the 2019 memorandum between Fayez al-Sarraj and Turkey on maritime delimitation in the Mediterranean. Fidan, for his part, said he understood Egypt's concerns and stressed the need for continued consultation. The timing is significant. The meeting came just one day after a phone call between Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and Abdelatty, and Naftemporiki reported that the shared line between Athens and Cairo reached Fidan in the clearest possible terms. Greek sources told the outlet that Egypt's direct contacts with Turkey do not mean Greek-Egyptian cooperation is weakened or suspended, and that the two foreign ministers remain in regular contact. The 2019 memorandum was signed between Turkey and Libya's then-Tripoli-based Government of National Accord. Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt have all opposed it, arguing it ignores the maritime entitlements of Greek islands including Crete and violates the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The eastern Libyan House of Representatives approved the memorandum on October 20, reversing its earlier rejection and reigniting the dispute. Egypt's position is consistent: the agreement cannot be used to establish maritime rights at the expense of neighboring states. The European Commission reiterated this week that the memorandum infringes on the sovereign rights of third states and does not comply with international maritime law. Athens is watching the broader picture closely, including reports that Egypt may be considering joining a so-called "Mecca Pact" with Turkey...