Libya: Everything we need to know about the new verbal decoration

Stefanos Nikolaidis

OR New verbal of her government Tripoli toward UN restores its area Eastern Mediterranean In the spotlight, not only for diplomatic reasonsbut also geo -economic. With this decoration, the Libya notifies maps obviously they ignore her existence and influence her Crete to Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and shelffully adopting the Turkish version of ‘Blue“

This move, as long as provocative And if it seems, it doesn’t come to neutral ground. Comes in response to recent Greek initiatives: heating of interesting of great energy players, such as Chevronfor the marine areas south of Cretebut also the completion of Marine spatial planningwho captures with formal way the Greek positions. OR Athensseeking to shield the her sovereign rights and to attract strategic investmentis forced to play in many dashboard at once: at drillingto diplomacyto geopolitical strategy and – now – in Communication with international partners.

In this context, two top analystsProfessor of International Law and ND MP, Angel Syrigosand the Director of the Institute of International Affairs and Professor at the American College of Greece, Constantine Filisspeak to skai.gr and decoding with purity and depth her substance her crisisthem players her next daybut also timeless pathogenesis with whom it is confronted by the Greek foreign policy.

Syrigus: Libya reacts to Chevron’s presence

THE Angel Syrigos interprets the movement of Libya mainly as one instrument toward companies where plan to be active in Greek waters. OR wiggar are not – according to him – nothing more than one effort to be created ‘insecurity“, So that to hesitate investors.

“The goal is to scare the candidates. They want to create noise, to show that there is a problem“, He says.

Time coincidence is not accidental. The activation of Chevron in the land area “Crete 1“And”Crete 2»Is coming to cause vigilance both in Libya as well as – indirectly – in Turkeyas these areas intersect her influence zone attempting to impose illegal Turquoise.

Mr Syrigos adds that the geopolitical developments have led to a reactivation of Washington in Libyan energy map. “The same companies coming to the Greek side have also taken pieces in Libyan. America, which has been cut since 1975 due to Gaddafi, is coming back. Libyan hydrocarbons are cheap and superficial – they have great interest“

About answer her Athensin fact, pays particular attention to the recent statement of European Council.

“The text of the European Council’s conclusions is more important than the decoration. He clearly states that the Turkish -tornado Memorandum is illegal and does not produce legal effects. Is a critical diplomatic weapon ‘, as he typically points out, however recognizing the difficulties in being immediate solution.

“The ideal solution would be to resort to The Hague with the participation of everyone and Cyprus. That is, we are talking about a total polymers of maritime zones in the Eastern Mediterranean. But these are scenarios. Does not mean they will be done. Greece is called upon to move in a rapidly changing geopolitical space, with finely balanced and alliances that are often determined by energy interests. “

Filis: Libya acts on Turkey’s order – the failure we are called to manage is timeless

For him Constantinethe New verbal is continuity of a broader tool strategic her Libya by Turkey.

“The government of Tripoli owes its existence to Turkey. It works on its order. The maps he deposited ignore Crete – and not only. They are completely ignorant of the influence of the Greek islands. “

Special reference makes to the fact that with these mapsthe Libya not only adopted her extreme Turkish versionbut expands. “We see even go beyond the Turkolibycus itself. This is an unrealistic maximalism“, He says.

At the same time, he does not fail to highlight with particular emphasis on the Greek movements where they change or they could to change the landscape in the area.

“Working with Chevron is decisive. It is an American company with a global displacement. Its presence here, in an area overlapped by the Turkolibycus Pact, constitutes its indirect challenge. “

At the same time, as he points out, the disclosure of Marine spatial planning “It is a substance move that bothers both Turkey and Libya. We show clearly where our potential boundaries reach“

But Mr. Filis doesn’t just stay in recent movements. Makes a look back at Critical mistakes. “Since 2009 we missed the opportunity to agree with Libya – because of Gavdos. And then came the Turkolibyy Memorandum. We were always a step back. “

“I do not blame the Greek side of not agreeing with Libya, but I think we could have exhausted the margins. That is, we have received a reduced influence of Gavdos, because the stakes were the agreement, not the reduced influence of Gavdos, and to have made an agreement with Libya, which would have prevented the Turkolibycus Pact“, He explains.

And continues:

“Italy has been aligned with Turkey and Libya. We didn’t do anything to change that. We had to put on European pressure. When we talk about usurpation of sovereign state rights, it cannot be “Business as Usual”. “

His intervention ends with a warning and a plan:

“Failure is timeless. If we want to manage it, we must push Italy, more actively involve Saudi Arabia and the UAE – and strengthen our relationships with both sides of Libya, not only with the east. “

The Mediterranean does not forgive inactivity

In summary, the new episode with Libya reveals that the Mediterranean remains one fluid and strongly competitive geopoliticalwhere the energy intereststhe historical influences and the military intervention coexist and conflict. Greece is now called not only to defend her legal rightsbut transform the reaction to a strategic initiative.

OR presence of USA and the reinforcement of axis with Egyptthe UAE and Saudi Arabia they create a historical opportunity. But they are required perseverance, smart diplomacy and above all: the understanding that the failure is not always concomitant. Is often the result of long -term inactivity and fears for the civil costs.

Now is the time to change this narrative – Before the maps where are deposited todaythey become realities of tomorrow.