Politics
Türkiye rejects EU declaration over deal with Libya
Greece’s opposition to a memorandum of understanding between Türkiye and Libya years ago was back on the agenda at a recent summit of EU leaders.
The declaration at the end of the summit angered Ankara. Defense Ministry sources on Thursday reiterated authorities’ earlier remarks against the declaration and said that the deal was legitimate and safeguarded the rights of Türkiye and Libya.
A European Council declaration published on June 26 after the summit has claimed that the memorandum on delimitation of maritime jurisdictions in the Mediterranean Sea “infringes upon the sovereign rights of third states, does not comply with the Law of the Sea and cannot produce any legal consequences for third states,” in a veiled reference to Greece and its main ally Greek Cypriot administration.
Sources said the 2019 memorandum, on the contrary, was drafted in line with international maritime laws and on an equitable framework preserving the rights of Türkiye and Libya. “The memorandum was relayed to the United Nations by Türkiye and Libya. Defining it as against the law (by the EU Council) as a result of manipulation by Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration is unacceptable. Our maritime cooperation with Libya in the framework of the memorandum will be enhanced,” sources said.
The statements came as the Greek Foreign Ministry announced that Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis would visit Benghazi to meet with Khalifa Haftar, commander of the eastern Libyan forces. Gerapetritis will also visit Tripoli on July 15 to meet with officials of the Government of National Accord (GNA), the Greek Foreign Ministry added. Haftar’s son, Saddam Haftar, a senior commander in eastern Libya forces, recently visited Türkiye, preceding another visit by a military delegation of the eastern forces this week as top Libyan officers met their Turkish counterparts.
In recent weeks, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and other senior Greek decision-makers reacted to reports that the parliament in eastern Libya will approve the maritime delimitation agreement between Libya and Türkiye in 2019, calling it “illegal and invalid.”
Earlier in June, the Libyan Foreign Ministry slammed Greece’s tender for hydrocarbon exploration off Crete, pointing out that some of the blocks in the tender overlap with Libya’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Also in June, it was announced that Türkiye’s state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) and Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) will carry out a geological and geophysical study of Libya’s four offshore areas.
The 2019 maritime boundary agreement that includes provisions for Turkish hydrocarbon exploration within Libya’s territorial waters is still not fully implemented. In 2022, the two countries signed a hydrocarbon memorandum of understanding, paving the way for Turkish companies to conduct seismic surveys and drilling operations. The agreement took a new turn on June 25 when the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) signed a memorandum of understanding with Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) for a 2D seismic survey in the Libyan waters. Under the memorandum, the TPAO will conduct surveys in four offshore blocks off the Libyan coast, over an area covering 10,000 kilometers (6,214 miles). The data collected during the surveys will be processed within nine months.
The ongoing tensions between Greece and Libya took center stage during Monday’s National Security Council meeting, chaired by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, as Athens grapples with a recent surge in irregular migrants from Libya and renewed maritime disputes.
In recent weeks, Greek authorities have repeatedly voiced concerns over the rising number of irregular migrants arriving from Libya. The issue has received significant media and political attention in Greece.
At the same time, a maritime boundary dispute between the two countries has escalated, especially following Greece’s June 12 announcement of a tender for hydrocarbon exploration south of the island of Crete. Libya’s Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) strongly objected to the move.
In a written statement released June 19, Libya’s Foreign Ministry said: “The Ministry affirms that these steps represent a blatant violation of Libya’s sovereign rights. It expresses its full reservations and explicit objection to any exploration or drilling activities in these areas without a preliminary legal framework in accordance with international law.” The Libyan government summoned the Greek ambassador to Tripoli, Nikolaos Garilidis, on June 23 to formally protest what it called Greece’s “unilateral actions” and violation of international maritime law and Libyan sovereignty.
In a statement over the weekend, Osama Hammad, prime minister of the eastern-based Libyan government appointed by the House of Representatives, responded to Greek objections by asserting that the Türkiye-Libya agreement was “consistent with international legitimacy.” Libya’s NOC also defended its actions, affirming that all its agreements and partnerships are based on international law.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for a potential peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia that respects Baku’s legitimate demands.
During a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit in the Azerbaijani city of Khankendi, Erdoğan said Türkiye is closely monitoring the peace talks between Baku and Yerevan, according to a statement from Türkiye’s Communications Directorate.
Following the Second Karabakh War in 2020, Azerbaijan and Armenia began negotiations toward a lasting peace deal. In September 2023, Azerbaijan re-established full sovereignty over the Karabakh region.
The two leaders also exchanged views on bilateral relations as well as regional and global developments. Erdoğan said the close solidarity between Türkiye and Azerbaijan sets an example for the region.
He also highlighted the importance of strengthening cooperation in energy and transportation.
In addition, Erdoğan welcomed the June 24 cease-fire between Iran and Israel, emphasizing that establishing lasting peace in the region serves the shared interests of all parties.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday held back-to-back meetings with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in the Azerbaijani city of Khankendi, where the leaders gathered for a summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).
During his meeting with Sharif, Erdoğan said efforts are ongoing to deepen cooperation between Türkiye and Pakistan across various sectors, especially trade and energy, according to a statement from Türkiye’s Communications Directorate shared on X.
The two leaders also discussed bilateral relations, regional developments, and global issues. Erdoğan emphasized the need for continued joint efforts to halt Israel’s attacks on Gaza, establish a cease-fire, and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening ties with Türkiye, highlighting shared goals of peace, stability, and sustainable development. Both sides underlined the importance of enhancing collaboration in key areas such as defense, connectivity, and investment.
Erdoğan was accompanied at the meeting by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, and chief foreign policy adviser Akif Çağatay Kılıç.
Later in the day, Erdoğan met with Iranian President Pezeshkian, where the two discussed regional tensions and bilateral ties. Erdoğan underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation with Iran in the fight against terrorism and stressed the need to turn the current de facto cease-fire between Iran and Israel into lasting regional stability.
He called for disputes to be resolved through dialogue and negotiation and reiterated Ankara’s readiness to assume a mediating role if needed to promote peace.
Erdoğan also noted that expanding bilateral relations, particularly in trade, would benefit both Türkiye and Iran.
Pezeshkian’s meeting with Erdoğan was attended by the same high-level Turkish delegation present at the talks with Sharif.
Turkish police detained the mayors of three southern cities early on Saturday as part of an investigation into alleged graft.
Among those detained were the mayors of southern city of Adana, Zeydan Karalar, the southern resort town of Antalya, Muhittin Böcek, and the southeastern city of Adıyaman, Abdurrahman Tutdere. All three mayors belong to the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
In an early morning raid, police searched the premises of the city municipalities and detained two more suspects along with Böcek in Antalya.
The detentions are part of an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption based mainly on the confessions of Aziz Ihsan Aktaş, a businessman identified as the head of a criminal network active in municipalities.
Corruption allegations have spread across CHP-run municipalities since last year, leading to the detention and arrests of the party’s prominent names, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, a future presidential candidate of the party.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has labeled the scandals as “tentacles of an octopus” of wrongdoings. The party itself is at the center of allegations of vote-buying in a 2023 intra-party vote that brought its current chair, Özgür Özel, to power. A hearing earlier this week over election fraud allegations was postponed to September.
Ankara is closely and with high sensitivity following the recent developments in Iraq’s Kirkuk, where the Turkmen population launched demonstrations to demand representation in government institutions, the Foreign Ministry said Friday.
“The appointment of a non-Turkmen director to the Altunköprü Municipality in Kirkuk – a region with a dense Turkmen population – has understandably caused discomfort and disappointment among the Turkmen community,” Öncü Keçeli, the ministry spokesperson, said in a statement.
“Our fundamental expectation is that our Turkmen kin be adequately represented within Iraq’s political and state structures. This issue is particularly important in Kirkuk, especially regarding appointments and assignments in all public institutions, starting with the Provincial Council,” Keçeli added.
“The peace and stability of Kirkuk, which is a small model of Iraq with its ethnic and religious diversity, is of key importance for the peace and stability of all of Iraq,” he said.
“In this context, developments in Kirkuk are being closely and carefully monitored by our country,” the spokesperson added.
In the Altunköprü district of Kirkuk, where there is a large Turkmen population, the fact that Turkmens were not included in the change of mayor has caused a reaction from the local people.
Hundreds of Turkmens in Altunköprü started a demonstration on June 30 on the grounds that they were “excluded from the local government.”
When the protesters could not get a response from the Kirkuk local government to their demands in the protests, they started by setting up tents and closed the Kirkuk-Irbil highway to traffic today.
Following these developments, the Kirkuk local government decided to form a commission to review the distribution of duties in all institutions and organizations in the district.
Kirkuk Provincial Council member Ahmed Remzi Köprülü argued that the peaceful demonstration that started had a significant impact on the local government.
The demonstrations that have been going on for about four days have yielded results, Köprülü said, referring to the formation of the commission.
Köprülü, who mentioned that the commission will include Turkmen, Arab and Kurdish members, continued: “The duties in the Altunköprü district, especially the municipality, and other institutions will be reviewed. A commission was also created for this. Turkmens are also in this commission. Therefore, we are ending the demonstration.”
“At least one of the three important duties in the district will be given to Turkmens. Important development projects will be implemented for the Altunköprü district,” he added.
The head of the Iraqi Turkmen Civil Society Organizations (ITCSO), Istabrak Yazaroğlu, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that he was similarly pleased with the demonstration’s results.
“The Turkmens proved their will in their own town with this demonstration,” said Yazaroğlu, indicating that they supported the demonstrators as the Iraqi Turkmen Front.
Yazaroğlu, who said that it was certain that the district police chief’s duty would be given to Turkmens, stated that they would closely follow the work of the commission to be established.
The reason behind Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, Syria and Iran is to bring the Palestinian people to their knees, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday during the 17th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) in Azerbaijan’s Stepanakert (Khankendi).
“Israel’s increasingly aggressive policies under its current administration are threatening peace and stability in the region,” the president said in his speech.
Urging ECO members to take up more efforts for the Palestinian cause, Erdoğan added: “We can neither abandon the Palestinian cause nor remain silent as the Netanyahu government turns our region into a bloodbath.”
Erdoğan reminded that Israel’s attacks in Gaza have claimed more than 57,000 Palestinian lives since October 2023.
Regarding Israel’s attack on Iran, Erdoğan reiterated that Türkiye engaged in intense efforts to stop the conflict from spreading across the region.
On Afghanistan, Erdoğan said, “We believe that we must support security, peace and development of people in Afghanistan.”
Pointing out that they are obliged to further develop their vision in economy and trade, which are the main areas of cooperation of the organization, Erdoğan said: “We must take steps together to increase our regional trade volume target of $100 billion to higher figures.”
“In this respect, we attach great importance to the organization of the fifth trade ministers meeting at the first possible opportunity,” he added.
Also touching on the clean energy issue, Erdoğan said that with Türkiye’s National Energy Efficiency Action Plan for 2024-2030, they envisage a reduction of 100 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
About the Zero Waste Project, the Turkish president said it adds “additional strength” to the fight against climate change.
“Since its inception, we have prevented approximately 6 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions,” Erdoğan added.
He said Türkiye is transforming its key sectors to achieve its net zero emission target for 2053 and realize its green development visions, and that the country has increased the share of renewable energy in total installed capacity to 59% with innovative initiatives, especially in the field of energy.
Erdoğan was accompanied by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat, Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) Chair Binali Yıldırım, Deputy Chair of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and head of relations with Turkic states Kürşad Zorlu, AK Party Deputy Chair Halit Yerebakan, AK Party Deputy Chair Sevilay Tuncer, Directorate of Communications head Fahrettin Altun, and chief advisor to the president on foreign policy and security Akif Çağatay Kılıç. The summit was held under the theme of “New Economic Cooperation Organization Vision for a Sustainable and Climate Resilient Future.”
The participants of the summit also included Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar.
Erdoğan has also called for stronger ties with Turkish Cypriots, especially in the fields of sports, culture, economy and tourism.
“I believe that our Organization will continue to strengthen its solidarity with our Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters, who have been observer members since 2012 and have long been subjected to unjust isolation.”
The ECO is a political and economic intergovernmental organization founded by Türkiye, Pakistan and Iran in 1985 to serve as a platform to discuss and improve development and promote trade and investment opportunities.
It has seven other members: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The TRNC is an observer member.
Holding the summit in Khankendi, which was once the capital of the occupying regime in Karabakh, is of symbolic importance for Azerbaijan.
‘Karabakh rises’
As host of the summit, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, for his part, highlighted that “Extensive restoration and reconstruction efforts are currently underway across all of Karabakh and East Zangezur, liberated from occupation.”
Aliyev said that several major international events have already taken place in Azerbaijan’s territories liberated from Armenian occupation.
He reminded that Armenia occupied nearly 20% of Azerbaijan’s territories for almost 30 years, carried out ethnic cleansing and displaced more than 1 million Azerbaijanis from their lands.
Relations between the two former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military illegally occupied Karabakh – a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan – and seven adjacent regions.
Azerbaijan regained most of the territory during a 44-day war in the fall of 2020, which ended after a Russian-brokered peace agreement that opened the door to normalization and demarcation talks.
In September 2023, Azerbaijan established full sovereignty in Karabakh after separatist forces in the region surrendered.
Despite reaching a consensus on a peace agreement in March, both Baku and Yerevan have yet to sign the deal and have accused each other of cross-border attacks.
Pashinyan has recognized Baku’s sovereignty over Karabakh after three decades of Armenian separatist rule, a move seen as a crucial first step toward normalizing relations.
But he has faced a domestic backlash for making territorial concessions, including the return of four border villages to Azerbaijan last year.
National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalın paid a visit to Türkiye’s southeastern border region on Wednesday for high-level security discussions, sources said.
Kalın visited Hakkari’s Yüksekova and Çukurca districts, where he met with Hakkari Governor Ali Çelik, Second Army Commander Gen. Levent Ergün, and other senior military and civil officials.
Talks focused on the security of Türkiye’s borders with Iraq, Iran and Syria, ongoing measures to combat threats in the region, the status of military outposts, and recent developments along the frontier.
Earlier on Wednesday, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said that it was time for the PKK terrorist group to start its disarmament and that Ankara expects it to happen “very soon.”
Government ally Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), launched a terror-free initiative last year with a daring call to the PKK to lay down arms, at the cost of alienating more hawkish nationalists who advocate more strict counterterrorism efforts to wipe out the PKK.
The initiative is endorsed by the government, and the group’s jailed leader, Abdullah Öcalan, consented to make a call to the group to abandon arms in February. Months later, the PKK announced it would dissolve itself, but it was unclear when it would physically hand over weapons to the authorities in Iraq, as media outlets reported. Turkish intelligence will reportedly oversee the disarmament process, although authorities have been tight-lipped about how the initiative will proceed.
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