Turkish parliament ratifies maritime pact with Libya

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency

The Turkish parliament on Dec. 5 ratified a recently signed pact between Turkey and Libya laying out the two countries' maritime boundaries in the eastern Mediterranean.

On Nov. 27, Turkey and Libya's Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) signed the bilateral memorandum.

The memorandum asserts Turkey's rights in the Eastern Mediterranean in the face of unilateral drilling by the Greek Cypriot administration, clarifying that the Turkish Cyprus (TRNC) also has rights to the resources in the area.

As the memorandum has already been signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, following its passage in parliament and publication in the Official Gazette, the memorandum goes into effect.

Later on Dec. 5, the GNA also ratified the pact, ordering the related authorities to publish it in the country's Official Gazette.

Since 2011, when longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed, Libya has seen the emergence of two rival seats of power: one in eastern Libya, to which military commander Khalifa Haftar is affiliated, and the Government of National Accord, which enjoys UN recognition.