HALC urges US Secretary of State to reject Turkish-Libyan memorandum

The Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC), led by executive director Endy Zemenides, has formally requested that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly reject the Turkish-Libyan memorandum on maritime boundaries. The organization argues that the memorandum, which was ratified by the Libyan House of Representatives on October 20, 2026, lacks legal standing and infringes upon the rights of third countries, including Greece. HALC warned that the agreement threatens U.S. energy investments near Crete and the security of the Souda Bay naval base.

In its letter, the council criticized the U.S. Department of State's response from October 22, which advocated for bilateral dialogue between Greece and Turkey within the NATO framework. HALC contends that this current stance is weaker than the position Washington held in 2019. The group contrasts this with the European Union, which on October 21 reaffirmed that the memorandum violates sovereign rights with the backing of all 27 member states.

The organization maintains that the maritime claims pose significant risks to strategic U.S. interests in the Eastern Mediterranean. No further immediate actions or legal proceedings were announced by the State Department following this appeal, which seeks a clearer and more decisive rejection of the claims made by Ankara and Tripoli.