Turkey’s Libya Deal Puts Oil Majors in a Bind
Turkey has finally gotten both sides of a divided Libya to sign the maritime map it has pushed for seven years. Ankara signed the boundary deal with Libya’s Tripoli government in 2019, and the rival parliament in the east rejected it in 2020. On October 20, that same parliament, the Haftar-aligned House of Representatives in Benghazi, ratified the deal unanimously. Both of Libya’s governments now…
Turkey's recent deal with Libya's eastern government has left oil majors in a difficult position. Both Tripoli and Benghazi governments now recognize a maritime boundary that runs between Crete and Cyprus, effectively denying Greek islands access to any territorial waters. Ankara is pursuing similar agreements with Damascus, aiming to strengthen its influence in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The vote in Libya's eastern parliament, led by Saddam Haftar, came after removing the speaker who had blocked it for years. Turkey has committed to nothing in return, as the deal will become a fait accompli for any unified Libyan government. This move strengthens Turkey's position in any future delimitation of the Aegean with Greece, and it is considering making the same maritime deal with Syria.
However, the deal has raised concerns among Greek and Egyptian officials, who fear it may encroach upon their sovereign rights. The Turkish government maintains that the objections have no legitimate basis.
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