Greek-Turkish relations are entering a new period of strain, as the approval of the Turkish-Libyan memorandum by Libya’s House of Representatives adds another source of tension in the eastern Mediterranean. This comes as the critical test will be the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnector, which will put Ankara’s intentions and Greece’s “red lines” to the test.Turkey’s claims in the region are persistent, bringing to the fore the issue of maritime jurisdiction, as well as the risk of a new head-on confrontation.
Regarding the electricity interconnector, the neighbouring country’s demands for notification about maritime surveys and cable-laying work are creating new points of friction.
Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis denied that there had been any informal understanding with Turkey, making clear that the project would be licensed through the prescribed procedures and that Greece is responsible for granting the relevant permit in areas under Greek maritime jurisdiction.
Statements by his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, are also significant. He said Ankara wants written notification about the work to be carried out at sea. Greece’s position is that such notification could be considered, subject to specific conditions, after Greece has granted the permit, without constituting an approval process by Turkey.
This distinction is particularly important to Greece, as notification about technical work must not be interpreted as recognition of a right for Ankara to intervene or grant permits. The aim is for the project to move ahead without setting precedents that could be used to advance new claims.
The key question is how Turkey will respond when the work reaches the implementation stage, and whether it will try to obstruct it. The foreign minister said Greece was prepared for every eventuality, while also saying that, for now, there was no indication of any intention to take such a step.
Support in words…
For now, the government is being called on to limit the consequences of the Turkish-Libyan memorandum, with EU support — so far in words rather than deeds.
The Greek government categorically rejects the legality of the agreement, arguing that it contravenes international law and produces no legal effects.
Greece’s case focuses on the fact that the Turkey-Libya agreement ignores the rights of Greek islands and seeks to delineate maritime zones in a way that is incompatible with the international legal framework. Ratification, according to the same sources, adds no substantive legal or practical value to the memorandum, while its implementation would run up against the rights and interests of other countries in the region.
On the diplomatic front, channels of communication with allies and partners have already been activated, with the aim of securing wider condemnation of the move. Statements by the president of the European Commission, the president of the European Council and the president of the European Parliament are seen as signs of support. The issue was also raised at the UN Security Council, with the risks to security and stability in the eastern Mediterranean highlighted.
Egypt’s position is also important for Greece. Egypt rejected the approval of the memorandum at a time when developments in Libya are having a wider impact on regional balances, which remain highly fluid.