Cyprus condemns the ratification of the Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum

Following the decision of the Libyan House of Representatives on October 20, 2026, to ratify the 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum, the Republic of Cyprus has intensified its diplomatic response. On October 22, the Cypriot Parliament unanimously approved an urgent resolution with 44 votes in favor, condemning the agreement as illegal, invalid, and a violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Parliament President Annita Demetriou formally addressed the issue to international parliamentary bodies, while the Permanent Representative to the UN, Maria Michael, submitted a formal letter to Secretary-General António Guterres on October 23, challenging the memorandum's legitimacy and motives.

Simultaneously, Cypriot officials including Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos have emphasized that the memorandum produces no legal effects on third states. Nicosia remains in close coordination with Athens and Brussels, with President Nikos Christodoulides confirming continuous contact with Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis. While the government is conducting preparatory work regarding a potential delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) with Greece, authorities noted that such decisions require high-level diplomatic consensus and lack a specific timeline. Earlier in the week, several Cypriot MEPs, including Costas Mavrides, Loukas Fourlas, and Geadis Geadi, urged the European Union to move beyond mere condemnations and implement concrete measures against Turkey for its actions in the Eastern Mediterranean.