Libyan politicians and members of the National Oil Corporation (NOC) have called for the urgent need to stop Turkish exploration of oil in the eastern Mediterranean.
In an interview, House of Representatives (HOR) member Miloud Al-Aswad stated that the Government of National Accord (GNA) bore the responsibility of allowing Turkey to pursue its economic interests in Libya.
Al-Aswad, a former director of the Al-Mabrouk oilfield and Al-Jarf oilfield, commented on a request by the Turkish Petroleum Company to begin drilling in Libya’s maritime borders.
The MP said that such a direct mandate issued by the GNA would be contrary to the regulations of the NOC and Libyan law.
“The country is unable to engage in any external confrontations, but this step would increase the intervention of external parties in our internal conflict,” he noted.
A source in the NOC told ‘Al-Sharq Al-Wasat’ that the request made by Turkey has not yet been decided upon by the GNA’s Presidential Council.
The source added that the NOC rejected such operations to explore for oil in regional waters, explaining that “Turkey does not have the right to prospect in the eastern Mediterranean, but is rather taking advantage of the GNA’s need for military support during this time and thus places it under pressure”.
Such moves made by Turkey would stoke tensions in the region, especially in the current dispute between Turkey, Greece and Cyprus, as well as other countries over ownership of natural resources in the eastern Mediterranean.