Egypt has declared the Turkey-Libya maritime deal "null and void, absolutely," throwing its full diplomatic weight behin...

Egypt has declared the Turkey-Libya maritime deal "null and void, absolutely," throwing its full diplomatic weight behind Greece after Libya's eastern parliament reversed course and ratified the 2019 agreement on October 20. Egypt's Foreign Ministry said the ratification carries no legal effect and would not affect Cairo's own maritime boundaries. The declaration came after Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty spoke directly with Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis about the deal's implications for regional security. Israel also weighed in, with its Foreign Ministry saying Turkey is "working to destabilise the eastern Mediterranean region." European Council President António Costa and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed on October 21 that the agreement is incompatible with the Law of the Sea and legally void. Greece's Foreign Ministry said the memorandum ignores basic geography, pointing out that Turkey and Libya share no opposite or adjacent coastlines. Athens added that the deal disregards Greek islands entirely, including Crete and islands across the southeastern Aegean. The Greek government said no unilateral parliamentary decision can rewrite geography, and that Athens will take all appropriate measures in response. Turkey continues to defend the deal as consistent with international law. The agreement was originally signed in November 2019 between Ankara and the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord under Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, before Libya's political landscape fragmented further. Ankara has accused critics of spreading disinformation and attempting to manipulate public opinion. Greece took the matter to the UN Security Council on October 21, with Ambassador Aglaia Balta briefing the Council during closed consultations on the agreement's risks to regional stability. #Greece #Turkey #EasternMediterranean