Turkey renews maritime offer to Egypt as Libya accord fuels dispute

Turkey has renewed its offer to negotiate a maritime boundary agreement with Egypt, seeking to advance talks with Cairo despite their disagreement over Ankara’s disputed maritime accord with Libya.

The Turkish Defence Ministry said an agreement could give Egypt more than 15,000 square kilometres of additional maritime jurisdiction compared with a potential deal with Greece. The estimate reflects Turkey’s position rather than an agreed allocation, and the ministry announced no timetable for negotiations. 

The offer follows the Libyan House of Representatives’ approval on 20 October of the maritime memorandum signed in 2019 by Turkey and Libya’s then Government of National Accord. The eastern-based parliament had previously opposed the agreement.

Its decision revived regional objections to the pact, which sets out maritime boundaries affecting offshore exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean. Greece argues that the arrangement infringes on its sovereign rights by disregarding the maritime entitlements of Greek islands between the Turkish and Libyan coasts. 

Ankara welcomed the parliamentary vote, describing it as support for its approach to maritime delimitation based on international law, equity and the legitimate interests of coastal states.

Egypt, however, has maintained its opposition. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reiterated Cairo’s rejection during talks with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, in Istanbul on 23 October. Egypt says parliamentary approval in Libya does not alter its position that the memorandum has no legal effect on Cairo.

The disagreement has not closed diplomatic channels. According to Egypt’s account of the meeting, Fidan acknowledged its concerns and backed continued consultation and coordination over developments in Libya. 

Egypt and Greece already have a partial maritime boundary agreement, signed in August 2020. The Turkish offer therefore comes as Athens and Cairo consider further delimitation, rather than in the absence of an existing agreement between them. 

Fidan has proposed a broader discussion involving Turkey, Egypt, Italy and Libya to address concerns over continental shelves and maritime rights. He said he had conveyed the initiative to Abdelatty and that it had President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s backing.

No agreement to launch those four-country talks has been announced. The proposal nevertheless provides a potential avenue for dialogue as Ankara defends its accord with Libya and Cairo maintains its objections.