By Antonis Antzolettos

Since 2019, signed by the Turkish Memorandum of Understanding between Turkey and the Libyan government, a continuous “headache” has been added to Greece. The agreement may be non -existent, illegal and not based on the rules of international law, but it is one of its main “tools” Tayyip Erdogan To strengthen the climate, whenever it considers it appropriate. It concerns the determination of marine zones and EEZs in the Eastern Mediterranean, without counting the sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus. It also includes military cooperation between the two countries.

The prime minister was clear at a press conference on Sunday at the TIF that the two sides of Libya should understand that Their interlocutor about marine zones is Greece And not Turkey. The Turkish Memorandum came back to the forefront, as in Ankara from the first moment they did not see the American Chevron’s interest in granting the right to investigate the two pieces south of Crete. Erdogan will “dance” at this pace from now on wanting the ratification of the Turkolibyan Memorandum by Parliament to the east of the African country as a first step. From the Greek side it is clear that his invalidity cannot be overthrown whatever the Turks and the Libyans do.

The overlapping agreements reveal once again that Turkey is investing in power and not in law. At the same time he chooses to do a necessary maneuver, as he had defended Tripoli in 2019 against General Happear. All this is watched by the Greek side and intensifies its contacts. On Monday in Athens he was found his son Happere, who is the Director of the Fund for the development of Libya. It is a bet that the Turkish influence that Ankara is trying to strengthen in Libya not to succeed. Next Monday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the National Unity of Tripoli is coming to Greece, and as it became known from Queen Sofia sources, technical debate on EEZ delineation begins. Committees from Greece were formed in August, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou. It is recalled that the latest negotiations were held with Libya in 2010.

The “weapon” of the Greek side is that it is involved in the UN Security Council, where critical decisions can be made on the future of the African country. At the same time, the availability of participation, through businesses with rich know -how, has long been expressed in the reconstruction of Libya.

It is a fact that Libya interprets international law as they see fit. A typical example is that for Malta he respects the midline for the EEZ definition, which does not do with Greece. Ankara is obviously trying to scare the energy giants that if they go ahead, serious problems will arise, so investigations will not be proceeded. How much, however, will Turkey be able to do so if a competition is guaranteed in Chevron? The “plus” of the Greek side are the conclusions of the European Council of June 26th. It was reported that “The Turkey -Libyan Memorandum on the demarcation of areas of maritime jurisdiction in the Mediterranean violates the sovereign rights of third countries, is incompatible with sea law and cannot produce legal consequences for third states.”

The geopolitical agenda opens a lot. And it is very important that Greece will be at the center of energy plans in relation to gas from the US Interior Minister’s visit Doug Bergam on Thursday in Athens.