Türkiye and Libya sign maritime hydrocarbons deal

Türkiye's foreign minister signed a deal in Libya's capital allowing for oil and gas exploration in Libya's Mediterranean waters, three years after a maritime border deal that angered European nations.

"We've signed a memorandum of understanding on exploration for hydrocarbons in Libya's territorial waters and on Libyan soil, by mixed Turkish-Libyan companies," Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a press conference in Tripoli.

The deal follows an agreement Türkiye signed with authorities in Tripoli in 2019, which demarcated the countries' shared maritime borders but sparked anger in Greece and Cyprus.

Cavusoglu however stressed that the new accord was between "two sovereign countries -- it's win-win for both, and other countries have no right to interfere".

Najla al-Mangoush, foreign minister in Libya's Government of National Unity, said the new deal was "important", especially in light of "the Ukrainian crisis and its repercussions" for energy markets.

Türkiye had signed a controversial security agreement in November 2019 with Libya's UN-recognised government at the time, laying claim to extensive, potentially gas-rich areas of the Mediterranean.

The deal came at the height of a year-long battle between rival governments vying for control of Libya's capital.

The arrival of Turkish drones shortly afterwards was seen as crucial in the victory of Tripoli-based forces against those of eastern military chief Khalifa Haftar, Russia and the United Arab Emirates.