Egypt and Turkey clashed diplomatically in Istanbul on Friday as foreign ministers discussed regional stability following a unanimous vote by Libya’s eastern-based parliament to ratify a contentious 2019 maritime border agreement, a move that immediately drew sharp rejections from Cairo, Athens, and the European Union.
The talks followed a parliamentary vote in Benghazi on October 20, 2026, which formally approved the maritime boundaries memorandum originally signed in November 2019 between Ankara and Tripoli’s former Government of National Accord. The meeting occurred on the sidelines of quadrilateral mechanism meetings involving the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey, alongside representatives from the European “E3” nations comprising France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Libyan Parliament Ratifies Agreement Despite Egyptian Rejection
That posture shifted after the parliament elected a new leadership team, prompting lawmakers to vote unanimously to ratify the agreement and repeal previous 2020 resolutions that had rejected the pact and severed political ties with Ankara. The legislature elected Al-Salihin Abdul Nabi as its new president on the seventh of the same month, succeeding Aguila Saleh.
NEW: Turkey secures a strategic win over Greece as eastern Libya backs the maritime deal- The agreement challenges efforts made by Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the UAE to contain Turkey’s influence in Libyawith @Elis_Gj https://t.co/EmpFy3rVHv
The decision swiftly triggered regional blowback. The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a firm rejection, declaring the ratification null, void, and legally without effect regarding Egyptian rights. Cairo maintained that the agreement bypasses the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and infringes directly upon Egypt’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
Badr Abdelatty stated that Egypt categorically rejects the ratification of the 2019 memorandum of understanding, emphasizing the importance of respecting the principles of international maritime law and the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea regarding the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, in accordance with the principles of justice and equity among states, according to CNN Arabic.
European leadership voiced similar objections. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen released a statement calling the deal incompatible with international maritime law and void of legal standing concerning third parties. Meanwhile, Israeli foreign ministry officials condemned the move as an attempt by Ankara to destabilize the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey Defends Legality of Maritime Accord with Libya
Turkish defense sources defended the legality of the accord during a weekly briefing, insisting that maritime delimitations fall strictly under the sovereign rights of coastal states and cannot be invalidated by unilateral third-party assessments.
The memorandum of understanding on the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas, signed between Turkey and Libya in 2019, was concluded on the basis of international law and the principles of equity, while taking into account the legitimate rights and interests of both countries, Turkish Ministry of Defense sources told Anadolu Ajansı.
The parliamentary endorsement dovetails with deepening economic and security ties between Turkey and eastern Libyan authorities, including hydrocarbon memorandums and seismic research agreements. Analysts view the political pivot as a major diplomatic gain for Turkey’s “Blue Homeland” doctrine, expanding Ankara’s operational leeway for energy exploration.
Greece and Egypt Discuss Expanding Joint Economic Zone
In response to shifting dynamics, Greece and Egypt are actively discussing the expansion of their own joint exclusive economic zone eastward toward Cyprus. Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis and his Egyptian counterpart reviewed these cooperative measures during consultations aimed at reinforcing bilateral maritime boundaries based on standard international law.
While Egyptian and Turkish officials agreed in Istanbul to maintain ongoing consultations to address Cairo's concerns regarding Libya, the underlying disagreement over maritime jurisdictions and natural gas exploration rights remains unresolved as energy stakeholders adapt to shifting geopolitical alignments across the eastern Mediterranean.
📌 Statement by the 🇪🇺 High Representative @kajakallas on behalf of the EU 27 Member States on the ratification of the Libya-Türkiye MoU by Libya’s House of Representatives 🔗 https://t.co/unRUViaoWg @eu_eeas @EUCouncil pic.twitter.com/aeiyPhNG49
More on Turkey
🇬🇷🇪🇬 FM George Gerapetritis spoke today with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty by phone.The discussion focused on developments surrounding the Türkiye–Libya MoU and their implications for security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.@MfaEgypt @EgyptForeignMin pic.twitter.com/w7p11ybdnU
