Athens is overtly stepping up its diplomatic activity with partners and interested parties in the eastern Mediterranean in order to neutralize a controversial – and baseless, according to the Greek side – agreement between Turkey and the Tripoli-based government in western Libya, with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias reportedly arriving in Benghazi on Sunday in a previously unannounced visit.
The agreement, in essence two MoUs, generated a firestorm of criticism and diplomatic activity in its wake, as the deal is the most egregious instance of “Turkography” in recent memory. Ankara and the besieged GNA administration in Tripoli ignore all of the islands in the eastern Mediterranean to draw maritime borders and accompanying exclusive economic maritime zones – in contrivance of international law of the sea and case law.
On Saturday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke by phone with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the situation and security status in the eastern Mediterranean.
Dendias’ arrival in Libya’s eastern capital, and the seat of a rival political movement in the country to the Islamist-back GNA, was Tweeted by the newspaper “The Libya Times”, with no confirmation so far by the foreign ministry in Athens.
Dendias last week visited Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Jordan, in succession, while Morocco is next on the list.
Athens has also requested renewed contacts by Greek and Italian experts to finally delimitate an EEZ between the two EU partners and allies in the Ionian Sea.
