Both Libyan governments have now approved the Turkey-Libya maritime deal, and Bloomberg reports it could open the door f...

Both Libyan governments have now approved the Turkey-Libya maritime deal, and Bloomberg reports it could open the door for Turkish drilling ships to move into disputed waters east of Crete. The eastern Libyan administration in Benghazi ratified the agreement Tuesday, joining the Tripoli-based western government, which had already backed it. Turkey's foreign ministry called the ratification a protection of Ankara's rights and said it would deepen bilateral cooperation. The deal draws maritime boundaries that Greece and Cyprus say violate their sovereign rights and contradict international law of the sea. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted Tuesday that the agreement "violates the sovereign rights of third states, is contrary to the Law of the Sea, and is null and void," adding that the EU stands in full solidarity with Greece and Cyprus. Greek Foreign Minister Gerapetritis spoke by phone with his Egyptian counterpart after the ratification, signaling that Athens is moving quickly on the diplomatic front. Athens has already issued exploration licenses for areas south of Crete that Libya also contests, deepening the legal conflict over the same waters. Analysts say Turkey can now argue that all of Libya backs its Eastern Mediterranean claims. Anas El Gomati, founder of the Tripoli-based Sadeq Institute, warned that this could push Ankara toward more aggressive assertions, potentially complicating planned undersea cables and pipelines connecting Cyprus and Greece to Europe. He said investors and insurers will need to price this risk into shipping through the region. Asli Aydintasbas of the Brookings Institution framed the development as part of a broader realignment, with two competing geopolitical blocs forming across the Eastern Mediterranean, one led by Turkey and one anchored by Israel, with Greece and Cyprus sitting at the center of both. #Greece #EasternMediterranean #Turkey