Libya, Turkey to Boost Military Cooperation

Turkey and Libya are expected to improve bilateral cooperation as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday that his country is ready to support Libya’s Government of National Accord on the military level and back joint steps in the eastern Mediterranean.

Last month, Turkey and Libya’s Tripoli-based GNA, headed by Fayez Al Sarraj, signed a memorandum of understanding on maritime boundaries, infuriating neighboring Greece, and another pact on military cooperation. 

Ankara says it may send troops to Libya if the Tripoli government requests it, but that no such request has been made yet.

Erdogan also said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin have appointed delegations to discuss developments in Libya and that the officials would meet “soon”.

On its part, the Kremlin said on Tuesday Erdogan and Putin would address Ankara’s offer of military support to Serraj’s government during talks in Turkey next month. Erdogan and Putin then held a phone call to discuss Libya.

Turkey has said the maritime accord allows the two countries to carry out joint energy exploration activities in the eastern Mediterranean, where Ankara has been at odds with Greece and Cyprus over offshore hydrocarbon resources.

Egypt, Greece Stance on Libya Developments

Egypt slammed the maritime and security cooperation deal signed between Turkey and Libya’s GNA, saying it will deepen the crisis and obstruct the political process in Libya.

Earlier this month, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stressed in a telephone call with United Nations envoy to Libya the need to safeguard the political process, adding that Sarraj does not have the mandate to sign such an agreement.

The minister later received in Cairo Libyan deputy parliament speaker Fathi al-Majbari to discuss the latest developments in Libya and the current pisions within the Presidential Council.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez said Shoukri underlined to his guest Egypt’s keenness on preserving Libya’s unity.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias threatened earlier to expel the Libyan ambassador to Athens if he did not disclose details of the deal.

Turkey does not recognize Cyprus as a state — but does recognize the breakaway Turkish Cypriot entity, the only country to do so — and is conducting exploratory gas drilling in waters where the ethnically pided island nation has exclusive economic rights.