Italy, Cyprus call Turkey-Libya maritime deal ‘unacceptable’

EPA-EFE/ETTORE FERRARI
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio (L) with Cyprus Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides (R) during their meeting at Farnesina Palace, Rome, Italy, 29 January 2020.

- Advertisement -

Italy’s foreign minister Luigi Di Maio and his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides said the maritime border deal between Turkey and Libya’s UN-backed government is “unacceptable”.
The pact gives Turkey access to an economic zone across the Mediterranean, which further raised tensions with Greece, Cyprus and Egypt. Turkey claims the UN convention on the law of the sea allows a country to stretch its territorial waters by 12 miles out to sea, but that when it comes to an economic zone, the area can extend for an additional 200 miles. If the distance between the two countries is less than 424 miles, they need to determine the dividing line with a bilateral deal, such as the one with Libya.
Following talks in Rome, both officials issued a statement, saying that the deal violates international law and flouts the sovereign rights of other countries.
Turkey said the deal prevents any energy-related projects from moving forward without its consent. The EU has also prepared sanctions against the country over its exploratory gas drilling in the territorial waters of Cyprus, where the Greek Cypriots claim exclusive economic rights. Cyprus has said it will take Turkey to the International Court of Justice in the Hague.
Di Maio reiterated Italy’s solidarity with Cyprus, saying that Turkey’s drilling activities are “completely disregarding Cyprus’ sovereignty and sovereign rights”.

- Advertisement -

Subscribe to our newsletter

Latest

Tariff Trouble in Trump Town

President Trump has had many a cartoon about him...

Global reaction to Trump tariffs only reinforces his use of this tired and risky strategy

True to form, U.S. President Donald Trump disrupted global...

The New Face of an Old Enemy: The renewed dangers of ISIS and al-Qaeda

A dangerous cocktail of indifference and complacency enabled al-Qaeda...

EU-Central Asia Civil Society Forum enhances regional cooperation, sustainable development

Almaty, the largest city and former capital of Kazakhstan,...

Don't miss

Tariff Trouble in Trump Town

President Trump has had many a cartoon about him...

Global reaction to Trump tariffs only reinforces his use of this tired and risky strategy

True to form, U.S. President Donald Trump disrupted global...

The New Face of an Old Enemy: The renewed dangers of ISIS and al-Qaeda

A dangerous cocktail of indifference and complacency enabled al-Qaeda...

EU-Central Asia Civil Society Forum enhances regional cooperation, sustainable development

Almaty, the largest city and former capital of Kazakhstan,...

Global reaction to Trump tariffs only reinforces his use of this tired and risky strategy

True to form, U.S. President Donald Trump disrupted global markets with a three-day surge of tariff announcements, border security negotiations and ultimately a 30-day...

The New Face of an Old Enemy: The renewed dangers of ISIS and al-Qaeda

A dangerous cocktail of indifference and complacency enabled al-Qaeda to evolve from a shadowy fringe network in the early 1990s into one of the...

Donald Trump is inaugurated amidst promises of security, stability and prosperity

After storming a frigid Washington D.C. during his extended inauguration festivities on January 20, Donald J Trump, America’s 47th and 45th President, launched a...

The heat is on Trump’s fossil fuel push, climate change pushback

2024 has officially been confirmed as the warmest year on record, with global temperatures surpassing the 1.5°C threshold mentioned in the Paris Agreement, Alberto...

The Biden administration’s parting gift to Russia: Still more sanctions

Clearly working overtime to underscore the Biden administration’s desire to inflict maximum economic pain on Moscow and its coterie of Ukraine invasion supporters outside...

Undeclared “open season” on energy infrastructure in Europe

Russia is claiming it has shot down nine Ukrainian drones that tried to attack the TurkStream pipeline, which carries Russian gas to Europe through...

Righteous indignation over Maduro’s inauguration unlikely to change Venezuela’s dark reality

President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela was sworn in on January 10 for his third six-year term. Promising that his third term would be one...

Stringent new energy sector sanctions on Russia announced

On January 10, the U.S. Government released a massive new listing of over 200 entities and individuals involved in Russia’s energy sector for Ukraine-related...