- Libya, Erdogan: "We will begin drilling in the Mediterranean". "Troops in Tripoli"
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January 16, 2020Greece will block any European peace accord with Libya unless the agreement between the internationally recognized government in Tripoli and Turkey on the maritime borders is demolished, warned Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Mitsotakis' statements during an interview with Alpha TV came on the eve of talks scheduled with Libyan general Khalifa Haftar, whose forces are fighting against the Tripoli government. Haftar arrived in Athens today and met with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias.
Greece opposes the agreement on the maritime border between the government of Tripoli and Turkey, which ignores the rights of the Greek sea in an area believed to contain natural gas deposits.
Mitsotakis described the Turkish-Libyan agreement as "unacceptable and illegal", adding that he had reported his intentions on blocking a potential peace agreement to senior European officials. "Greece will never accept any political solution to Libya that does not include the cancellation of this agreement as a prerequisite," he said. "We will use our veto even before the issue reaches the top, at the level of foreign ministers," he said. He said.
Relations between regional rivals Greece and Turkey have significantly worsened in recent months due to underwater exploration and drilling rights in the Aegean Sea, off Cyprus and in areas off the southern Greek island of Crete, which are included in the Turkish-Libyan agreement.