George Gerapetritis read out a joint statement by Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and the European Union on the Turkish-Libyan memorandum at the UN Security Council.
“The memorandum remains invalid and without legal standing, runs counter to international law and cannot serve as a legal basis for the delimitation of maritime zones or produce legal effects for third states,” the foreign minister said.
The statement concerns the recent decision by Libya’s House of Representatives to ratify the 2019 Turkish-Libyan memorandum on the delimitation of maritime areas of jurisdiction in the Mediterranean, which, it notes, “raises serious concerns about regional security and stability”.
According to the joint statement, the decision also highlights a broader challenge to the international legal order: “the need to ensure that arbitrary bilateral agreements do not undermine established rules of international law or prejudice the rights of third states”.
Mr Gerapetritis stressed that international law and, in particular, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as customary international law, provide the legal framework for the delimitation of maritime zones. These rules are described as “fundamental to ensuring predictability, legal certainty and peaceful relations between states”.
He also warned that accepting bilateral agreements that disregard the applicable rules and principles of international law “would set a dangerous precedent, undermining the international legal order and the principles underpinning the peaceful settlement of disputes”.
As the statement notes, the “spurious Turkish-Libyan memorandum” runs counter to these fundamental principles because it “disregards the geographical reality and the rights of all coastal states concerned to maritime zones, including the rights of islands under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea”.
“The subsequent decision by Libya’s House of Representatives does not alter this legal reality,” it said.
The participants in the joint statement reaffirm their commitment “to the reunification of Libya’s institutions and the prospect of a united and prosperous Libya”. They stress that a stable Libya, actively engaged in regional cooperation, is essential for peace and security in the Mediterranean.
They also note that the country’s political transition and its relations with its neighbours “must be guided by respect for international law and good-neighbourly relations”.
Particular reference is made to bilateral talks between Greece and Libya on the delimitation of maritime zones.
Greece, the statement notes, has conducted the talks “in good faith and in accordance with international law” and “expresses its readiness to continue these efforts”.
“Respect for international law is an essential prerequisite for regional stability and the preservation of a rules-based international order,” Mr Gerapetritis concluded.
Source:ertnew,gr