Turkish Media: Tobruk to Ratify Libya Memorandum Next Week

Turkish media report that the Tobruk-based House of Representatives is expected to ratify the Turkish-Libyan Memorandum signed in 2019 next week.

The Turkish side believes that ratification by Tobruk will legally establish its western borders in the Mediterranean. Yeni Şafak reports that this is a signature that will change the balance of power in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The agreement between Turkey and the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA), signed in Istanbul on November 27, 2019, is considered by Ankara to be a strategic document. According to Bloomberg, if the Tobruk Parliament approves the agreement, the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) will begin research in Libyan waters.

Ratification of the agreement may exacerbate ongoing disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean, as Turkish vessels will be allowed to explore an extensive Libyan EEZ that overlaps with the claims of Greece and Cyprus.

Source: DW.com