State Dept critical of Turkey-Libya eastern Mediterranean deal

Key Points:

• The U.S. State Department condemned the Turkey-Libya maritime agreement, calling it provocative and urging peaceful resolution of maritime disputes through negotiations among Eastern Mediterranean countries, including NATO allies Greece and Turkey.
• Turkey defends the deal as entirely legitimate under international law, with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan dismissing criticism as politically motivated and emphasizing the agreement's legality.
• Greece and the European Union strongly reject the deal, with Greece calling it legally void and the EU stating it infringes on the sovereign rights of third states and violates maritime law.
• Israel criticized the agreement for undermining the sovereign rights of its regional allies Greece and Cyprus, accusing Turkey of destabilizing the Eastern Mediterranean.
• Experts warn the deal threatens U.S. and allied security interests by challenging established maritime zones near Crete, where major U.S. energy companies operate, and potentially pushing the U.S. out of the region.