Diplomatic confrontation at the UN Security Council over the Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum

During a UN Security Council session on October 29, 2026, focused on maritime security, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis denounced the 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum as illegal and geographically absurd. Mitsotakis argued that the agreement ignores the presence of Greek islands and violates the fundamental principles of the Law of the Sea, stressing that islands possess sovereign rights to maritime zones. He asserted that geography cannot be rewritten by arbitrary lines on a map and that Greece and Libya, as neighboring states with opposite coasts, are the only parties entitled to such agreements.

In response, the Turkish Permanent Representative to the UN, Ahmet Yildiz, defended the memorandum as a valid agreement in force since 2019, stating that the Council is not a venue for adjudicating maritime boundaries. Greece’s representative, Aglaia Balta, rejected these claims, reiterating that the agreement has no legal standing against third-party rights. Following the session, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan intensified the rhetoric, warning that Turkey is prepared to neutralize those who obstruct its national objectives, further elevating regional tensions.