Reuters reported on Thursday that the EU had reached a draft of its statement that the agreement reached by Turkey and Libya on their maritime borders violates international law. Accordingly, the EU is on Greece's side which argues that the agreement violates international law and is preparing for a declaration about the violation.
The tension between Greece and Turkey has been escalating because of a memorandum on the limitation of maritime jurisdictions signed between Libya and Turkey on November 27.
Greece has applied to the United Nations (UN) on the grounds that the agreement violates international law.
GERMANY ON THE VIOLATION
Spokesperson of German Foreign Ministry Maria Adebahr called on Ankara and Tripoli to respect the sovereignty rights of EU member states.
The spokesperson said maritime borders should be in line with international law with the participation of all affected coastal states.
TENSION RISES IN EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
Following this agreement, Greece decided to expel the Libyan ambassador to Athens. Greece states that the agreement ignores Crete's existence and violates Greece's continental shelf.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Turkey had maximized its jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean through the Libya agreement and that Turkey had exercised its rights under international law.
TURKEY APPLIES UNITED NATIONS FOR REGISTRATION
Turkey has notified the United Nations for the registration of the Memorandum of Understanding on the limitation of maritime jurisdictions, signed with the Government of National Accord.
Turkey allegedly notified the United Nations (UN) for the registration of its agreement with the Government of National Accord in Tripoli.
According to Sözcü daily, Turkey notified the UN on Wednesday to register the agreement, which was signed with the Government of National Accord in Tripoli on the 27th of November and took effect on the 8th of December.
Turkey's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mevlüt Çavuşoğu, states that "With the signing of the decree on the validity by our president, we will also make the registration to the UN. We are both providing information on the agreement and we are also registering our new Continental Shelf, which has been designated as western borders, with the UN.”
