Libya placed its bilateral agenda at the forefront as Parliament Speaker Ageela Saleh held talks in Athens with his Greek counterpart, Nikitas Kaklamanis, during an official visit aimed at strengthening cooperation and reaffirming Libya’s sovereign stance on the contested 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum.
Saleh arrived in Greece at the invitation of the Greek authorities, heading a senior parliamentary delegation including MPs Saeed Emghib, Azeddine Abourawi and Montaser Al-Hassi. The meeting focused on activating institutional cooperation and expanding parliamentary coordination, especially on regional stability and security across the Mediterranean.
Kaklamanis praised what he described as “longstanding friendship and shared values” between the two countries, adding that Greece considers Libya a strategic regional partner at a time of “significant change.” He underlined the historical ties that bind both nations and expressed readiness to deepen dialogue in order to promote prosperity for both peoples.
A central topic was the 2019 maritime deal signed by the Tripoli-based government and Türkiye. Kaklamanis reiterated Greece’s position that the memorandum “should not be ratified” and “in a second stage, should be fully annulled,” arguing that doing so would serve Libya’s interests before Greece’s. He thanked Saleh for his formal communication to the UN rejecting the deal and describing it as outside legal frameworks.
Saleh confirmed that the memorandum has not been approved by the Libyan House of Representatives, a constitutional requirement for validity. He stressed that Libyan sovereignty over maritime arrangements remains a legislative matter, not an executive one. He also thanked Greece for support after the floods and for training Libya’s Coast Guard in the east, saying such cooperation contributes to wider regional security.
Saleh extended an invitation to Kaklamanis to visit the Libyan Parliament, signalling continued diplomatic engagement and a joint commitment to a stable Mediterranean.
