In protest of an agreement between Turkey and Libya to divide its influence and interest zones in the Mediterranean, the Greek government refers the Libyan ambassador to Athens. The ambassador has three days to leave the country, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said today. This does not mean, however, that Greece is forcing its diplomatic relations with Libya.
South of the Greek island of Crete rich natural gas reserves are suspected. Greece and Turkey both belong to NATO. Cyprus, Israel and Egypt also see their interests violated by the Turkish-Libyan agreement.
The sea border agreement signed last week violates Greece’s assessment of international maritime law. Athens emphasizes again and again that Turkey and Libya violate the Greek continental shelf south of the island of Crete and the archipelago of the Dodecanese – including the tourist island of Rhodes – with the agreement. Turkey, on the other hand, considers that these islands have only territorial waters and no continental shelf.
