Greece invites Libya for maritime zone talks in order to improve strained relations

KyriakosMitsotakis, the Greek Prime Minister, said late Wednesday that Greece had invited Libya's internationally recognized government in Tripoli for talks to begin on delineating exclusive economic zones on the Mediterranean Sea.

The move aims to repair the strained relations between the two neighbors, caused by the controversial maritime agreement signed in 2019 between Libya's government and Turkey, Greece’s longtime enemy, which defined a sea zone near the Greek island Crete.

Mitsotakis said to local Skai TV that "we invite - and I believe you will soon see progress in the area - we ask the Tripoli government for a discussion with Greece about the delimitation a continental shelf, and an exclusive economic zones".

Libya objected, claiming that some blocks violated its maritime zone.

Since the 2011 uprising which toppled Muammar Gadhafi as dictator, law and order in Libya has been weak. The country is divided into two sections by a factional war.

Mitsotakis stated that communication with Libya is not simple. He said that Greece is determined to keep talking with both the Tripoli government and an administration in Benghazi.

Athens, in recent months has worked to improve its cooperation with Libya so as to stem the influx of migrants from Libya arriving on Greece's southern islands Gavdos & Crete. It also passed legislation that prohibits asylum seekers from Libya who arrive by sea.

After meeting with the internationally recognized government in the west, the European Union Migration Commissioner and ministers of Italy, Malta, and Greece were refused entry into the eastern part Libya. (Reporting and editing by Angeliki Koutantou, William Maclean; Reporting by Renee Maltezou)

(source: Reuters)