Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis arrives in Benghazi on July 6, 2025, for a crucial diplomatic mission amid escalating tensions with Libya over maritime boundaries, migration, and shifting regional alliances. The visit, the first of two planned this month with a subsequent trip to Tripoli scheduled, is overshadowed by reports that General Khalifa Haftar, commander of the eastern-based Libyan National Army, may be poised to ratify the controversial 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime deal, a move that would represent a significant strategic blow to Athens.
The primary source of friction is the 2019 maritime memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Turkey and Libya's former Tripoli-based government. The agreement delineates an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Eastern Mediterranean, which Greece and its allies—including Cyprus and Egypt—vehemently reject as a violation of international law that infringes on their sovereign rights.
Historically, Haftar and the eastern-based House of Representatives dismissed the deal as "null and void." However, recent months have seen a strategic recalibration, with Turkey expanding its outreach to eastern Libya's leadership, culminating in a visit to Ankara by Haftar's son in April 2025. Haftar's potential ratification would unify Libya's rival factions behind the pact, significantly strengthening Ankara's regional maritime position and directly challenging Greece's interests.
Other recent events have further compounded the diplomatic friction. In mid-June, Greece announced hydrocarbon exploration tenders in an area south of Crete, which Libya's Tripoli-based Government of National Unity claims violates its sovereign rights. In response, Libya summoned the Greek ambassador to protest what it described as unilateral Greek actions.
Migration also remains a critical point of contention. Greece has experienced a surge in irregular migrant arrivals from Libya, prompting Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to announce plans to deploy naval ships near Libyan waters to deter human trafficking and illegal crossings.
During his visit, Gerapetritis is meeting with Haftar to reaffirm Greece's rejection of the Turkey-Libya MoU and to seek a diplomatic resolution. The Greek government insists that it will not engage in "political bidding" or transactional diplomacy, instead committing to dialogue grounded in international law. The Tripoli government has requested that the minister's visit be rescheduled, likely pending the outcome of the Benghazi discussions.
The potential realignment has alarmed regional allies. Egypt, a key partner of Greece, has expressed deep concern and reportedly requested U.S. intervention to prevent the deal's ratification, fearing it infringes on its maritime zones and destabilizes the region.
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