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Libyan Presidential Council Deputy Chairman Musa al-Koni said the House of Representatives' approval of the memorandum of understanding with Turkey was a timely and entirely appropriate step, one that had been expected for a long time. He spoke to an Anadolu Agency correspondent about the decision's implications for Libya's political and strategic orientation in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Koni said the agreement rests on international law and custom and secures Libya's maritime rights, and argued that Greece opposes the deal because it demands more than its share. He also urged faster coordination with Turkish companies in oil and gas exploration and production.

Memorandum had been held up by domestic disputes

Koni recalled that the memorandum signed between Turkey and Libya could not be ratified in parliament earlier because of internal political disagreements. "This step by the parliament was long awaited," he said, adding that defending the rights of the Libyan people is one of the legislature's priorities and that the move came at exactly the right time.

Koni said the memorandum is grounded in international law and established practice. "We never wanted to take anyone's rights from the very beginning, we only asked for our own rights, which are guaranteed by international agreements and customs," he said, arguing that the House of Representatives' decision arrived at the right moment.

Greece demands more than its share, Koni says

Addressing objections from Greece and the European Union to the Turkey-Libya maritime jurisdiction agreement, Koni said the dispute between Libya and Greece is not new. He said no deal with Greece has been possible since the era of Muammar Gaddafi because Athens demanded more than the portion due to it, while a clear share exists for every country, including Libya, Greece, Egypt and Turkey.

"Greece's objection is natural because it wants more than what belongs to it," Koni said, adding that Libya has been firm on the issue since before 2011 and that defending its rights today is entirely normal. "If Greece has a right, it should go to international arbitration," he said, but Athens does not want that because it knows it has no such claim.

On the EU's reaction, Koni said it is natural for the bloc to feel sympathy for a member state, calling it normal solidarity, but added that the EU must also meet its responsibilities and that Greece should not draw encouragement from it. Established norms, he said, are what Greece should turn to. Koni said he was pleased that Libyans understand the importance of the agreement, which he said secures their rights and maritime boundaries.

Greece leaning on EU power is regrettable

Koni described statements Greece made after the Libyan House of Representatives approved the agreement as regrettable. "It is regrettable, truly regrettable, that Greece tries to rely on the power of the EU," he said, adding that the bloc should prevent its members from violating other countries' borders or using EU membership to make shows of force against Turkey, Libya or any other country.

He said Libya and Greece are neighbors in the Mediterranean and that international agreements and accepted customs govern maritime boundaries. If Greece does not respect them, Koni said, it will be the one to lose, and it should respect the agreement signed by the Libyan and Turkish peoples.

Approval opens doors for Turkey, Koni says

Koni said Turkey has brought Libyan parties together on many occasions and described the country as a "partisan mediator" that stays open to all sides and communicates with everyone. Even if Turkey appears close to one side, he said, it can play a more positive role in bringing viewpoints together. He said Turkey has recently kept equal distance from all parties and is now trying to gather the most intransigent and powerful sides in Ankara or Istanbul to sign an agreement that would lift Libya out of its current situation.

Koni said he believes Turkey is better placed than any other country in this regard and has more power than any other state, and expressed hope that Turkey will maintain its stance and accelerate its steps.

Approval by the House of Representatives will open the doors wide for Turkey in Libyan projects, Koni said, both because Turkey is a friendly country that signed the agreement and because it has capability and experience. He pointed to Turkey's urban transformation in roads, tunnels, bridges, high-rise construction and major projects, saying Libyans were shocked by the pace of change and that Libya will be Turkey's main partner in the field.

Turkish firms expected across Libya's oil and gas sector

Koni said Libya's resources are largely unexplored and that the country needs concession areas offshore in the Mediterranean and onshore. Many countries have turned their attention to Libya following recent events between Ukraine and Russia and developments in the Gulf, he said, adding that production capacity, particularly in natural gas, has been limited in the past.

He called for faster coordination with "our Turkish brothers" in oil and gas exploration and extraction, and noted that Turkish companies operating in western Libya were granted concession areas in previous periods as well.

Koni said Turkey will be a fundamental partner in the discovery and development of new oil and gas fields and voiced hope that it will move ahead of other countries, with major Turkish companies present in every region of Libya to contribute to extraction and marketing. He said crises in the Gulf and the war in Ukraine have created a major shortfall in energy markets for Europe, the United States and other countries, so action should have started yesterday.

"After this agreement is approved, we must set out immediately," Koni said, expressing hope that Turkish companies will move ahead of others. He said Libya is one country, east, west and south, and that Libya welcomes Turkey today and has left past problems and obstacles behind.

Key takeaways

• Libyan Presidential Council Deputy Chairman Musa al-Koni called the House of Representatives' approval of the Turkey-Libya memorandum a long-awaited and timely step
• Koni said the memorandum is grounded in international law and secures Libya's rights and maritime boundaries
• He argued Greece opposes the deal because it claims more than its share and urged Athens to resort to international arbitration
• Koni said the approval opens Libya's doors to Turkey and expects Turkish oil and gas companies to operate across the country