The Representative of Cyprus at the United Nations said Nicosia has joined other member states in expressing serious concerns over the registration of the Turkish-Libyan maritime borders’ delineation. He explained that it is not meeting the necessary standards under Article 102 of the UN Charter.
“This is an evident case in which we now have to register a bilateral memorandum of understanding, that does not even meet the initial criteria,” the Cypriot diplomat said during a speech entitled “Strengthening and Promoting the International Treaty Framework.”
He also added that this MoU blatantly contradicts international legitimacy and established rules of international law, including the international law of the seas. He pointed out that “this is clearly an undesirable result, and such an unfortunate development only contributes to increasing tensions and spreading regional instability, as well as contradicts the rationale for Article 102.”
Turkey and the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) signed a maritime border demarcation agreement in 2019. This was rejected by a number of states, most notably Greece. Athens claims that this agreement violates its continental shelf, off the island of Crete.