Why Libya warns Greece – What is Turkey’s role?
“Could the Turkey to react to Greek investigations south of Crete?” was a question asked to a Turkish source some months ago.
“Turkey he has no right to react south and west of Crete. It can react south and east. In the south and west, Libya can react – if it wants -,” was the answer.
“Could Turkey Goad Libya into Reacting?”
“The government of Tripoli was independent” was the answer.
The interpretation was clearly different from the side of the diplomats of Athens and even more of the analysts who follow the exhibitions. And they discounted Ankara’s intervention when and if deemed necessary. Provision which is deemed to be used.
As for many Tripoli has gone ahead with the declaration that it will take action, it is being prodded behind the scenes by Ankara, which wields considerable influence over the government.
A matter of time
With the Libya case it is not for Greece and they have been losing for some time – they have been losing here and have overcome them, the Dendia trip, as it turned out, another reason for the Tripoli government to stand up to Athens and play its game. Anchor, which he did anyway. With stronger evidence the recent memorandum on hydrocarbons.
And while Athens is trapped, it does not follow Egypt in the policies for Libya, since it is excluded from all the negotiating tables, it still has a burden on the policies of Cairo.
For those who had “read” the above, Libya’s protest against the Greek investigations southwest of Crete was only a matter of time.
With the announcement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tripoli to denounce Athens for trying to exploit the Libyan crisis and the imposition of “accomplishments for the demarcation of maritime borders” by concluding contracts for hydrocarbon research in a “disputed area”.
They promise a diplomatic and legal response
Tripoli promises to take diplomatic and legal action against Athens. The response of the representative of the Foreign Ministry, Alexandros Papaioannou, was sharp, who emphasized that “unlike those who conclude illegal and non-existent “memorandums” that ignore and circumvent basic rules of International Law and the Law of the Sea, Greece exercises its sovereign rights . with full respect for International Law and the Law of the Sea”.
Insisting on Athens’ proposal to cooperate with the elected government of Libya.
Can Athens negotiate with the Dbeiba government?
And the question that keeps coming back and nobody can answer with certainty is whether in his statements Kyriakos Mitsotakis had ever left open the possibility, behind the lines, of a negotiation with the Dbeiba interim government.
In theory it could since that creates a point of contact. Could Athens, in consultation with Washington, talk to Tripoli and find a Lebanon-Israel formula? Maybe.
It would however invalidate Athens’ argument that this government cannot negotiate memoranda like the ones it is signing with Ankara. And it would certainly create friction with Cairo.
Again, was ExxonMobil’s research south and west of Crete a message from the US in every direction? A move that aims to provoke? To lead Libya to The Hague to resolve the dispute with Greece?
If only Greece is destined for an energy hub in the Eastern Mediterranean, connecting Europe with the Balkans, the Middle East and North Africa should be expected. Developments that will have a predominantly American stamp…