Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis met today, Monday, June 15, with Saddam Haftar, Deputy Commander of the General Command of the Libyan National Army, in Athens.
As diplomatic sources note, Saddam Haftar’s first visit to Athens follows the Foreign Minister’s second visit to Benghazi on March 28, 2026, and confirms the shared commitment to further strengthening communication channels and the particularly satisfactory relationship that has developed with Eastern Libya.
During the meeting, according to the same sources:
- Emphasis was placed on deepening economic cooperation and promoting investment in various sectors, such as the energy sector, following the business mission that took place last January in Benghazi. Furthermore, they agreed on the need to upgrade maritime and air connections between the two sides.
- In the area of addressing irregular migration, they agreed to strengthen cooperation with the aim of reducing flows to Crete and Gavdos. They also noted the importance of continuing training programs for Libyan Coast Guard personnel in Greece and preparing a new cycle of training activities and the provision of technical expertise.
- Greece’s role as a reliable partner within the EU and the GCC was highlighted. The Minister of Foreign Affairs reiterated Greece’s position in favor of a unified and strong Libya, free from third-party intervention.
- Regarding maritime zones, the Foreign Minister emphasized that Greece’s priority remains the delimitation of an exclusive economic zone with Libya, as a genuine neighboring country with a shared coastline, based on the International Law of the Sea, as enshrined in UNCLOS.
A common consensus at the meeting was that the geographical proximity of the two countries and the extremely volatile international geopolitical situation make it necessary to build mutually beneficial cooperation for the sake of stability, security, and prosperity in the broader Eastern Mediterranean region.