Cyprus has submitted a fresh letter to the United Nations rejecting the 2019 maritime agreement signed between Turkey and Libya’s Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), which Athens, Cairo, and the European Union have all deemed unlawful.
According to Greek daily To Vima, Cyprus’ permanent mission to the UN reaffirmed Nicosia’s longstanding stance that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) “does not produce any legal effects for third parties, nor does it affect the rights of third States over maritime zones, including their sovereign rights under international law.”
The Cypriot letter invoked international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), stressing that the Turkish-Libyan agreement was not concluded in accordance with treaty law. It also recalled earlier objections filed by Nicosia in 2020.
The contested MoU, signed in November 2019, sought to establish maritime boundaries between Turkey and Libya and allow exploration of offshore resources. Greece immediately rejected the deal, arguing that it violates international maritime law and disregards Greek sovereignty in the Mediterranean.
In response, Athens has taken countermeasures by signing two separate agreements with Egypt. The first aligned search-and-rescue zones with their respective Flight Information Regions (FIRs), while the second delimited their exclusive economic zones (EEZs), directly challenging the Turkey-Libya accord.
The ongoing dispute underscores deepening tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean over energy rights, maritime boundaries, and regional alliances.