Cyprus, Greece, Egypt react to Turkey deploying troops to Libya

Greece and Egypt voice great concern over Erdogan’s decision for troop deployment to Libya

Greece and Egypt voiced great concern over the Turkish President’s decision to send military forces to Libya.

In a telephone conversation with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry reviewed the latest developments in Libya.

They emphasized the danger and negative effects of the Turkish move on Sunday’s Berlin conference and the situation in Libya.

The diplomats voiced their deep concerns that the Turkish step could lead to undermining efforts exerted by the international community and other countries seeking to secure Libya’s interests and stability.

The Ministers agreed on the importance to support the political process in Berlin to help in resolving the Libyan crisis.

“The Ministers agreed on the importance to support the political process in Berlin to help in resolving the Libyan crisis.”

Meanwhile, Environment and Energy Minister Kostis Hatzidakis in statements to CNA at the end of the 3rd East Med Gas Forum in Cairo, said that seven countries of SouthEast Mediterranean have decided to make natural gas and other forms of energy in the region, a catalyst in cooperation and peace in the wider region.

He urged those who nurture anachronistic ideas to abandon them and continue with the cooperation that will be based on international law.

Asked by the CNA if the Turkish provocations in the region were discussed, Hatzidakis said that in his intervention at the Forum, he underlined that cooperation with Turkey is welcomed provided that it respects international law. And of course, he added, what Turkey is doing in Cyprus’ EEZ indicates that it is in the wrong direction.

“The memorandum signed by Tayyip Erdogan with the Government of National Accord is just wrong.”

At the same time, he added, the memorandum signed by Tayyip Erdogan with the Government of National Accord (GNA) prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj, establishing new maritime borders in the Mediterranean, between Libya and Turkey when the two countries do not have common borders, is just as wrong.

Regarding Greece`s subsequent moves in this field, Hatzidakis said his country “has a multi-dimensional international energy policy” and recalled the agreement for the East Med pipeline with Israel and Cyprus and today’s forum which is becoming a permanent gas organization in the SE Mediterranean.

We will continue in this direction because we believe we have only to gain from such a policy, ” the Greek Minister of Energy and Environment concluded.

Cyprus House of Representatives unanimously condemns dispatch of weapons and troops to Libya

The House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus, in a resolution adopted unanimously, condemns the decision of Turkey to sell and dispatch weapons and troops, which violates the Libya embargo, and calls on the UN to monitor the implementation of the UN and EU embargo on weapons by Turkey, in order to impose sanctions wherever necessary, at least in the EU framework, and also calls on the Cyprus government to send humanitarian aid to the Libyan people.

“The House expresses its concern over the new escalation of Turkish aggressiveness and actions and also expresses its solidarity with Greece and Egypt, the two countries most affected.”

In its resolution, the House expresses its concern over the new escalation of Turkish aggressiveness and actions and also expresses its solidarity with Greece and Egypt, the two countries most affected by the Turkish-Libyan MoU’s, which it deplores as illegal.

The House notes the blatant violation of international law and the Law of the Sea, condemns the recent selling of Turkish weapons to the Sarraj government militia and points out that this recent Turkish move undermines security, peace and stability in the whole Mediterranean.