Aguila Saleh, speaker of Libya’s House of Representatives aligned with Khalifa Haftar, said this week that the maritime boundary agreement signed between the former Government of National Accord and Türkiye in the Eastern Mediterranean is invalid because it was not approved by Parliament and was signed by a government that lacked legislative confidence. His remarks will likely anger Türkiye, which has recently been building ties with Haftar.
In the fall of 2019, Türkiye and Libya signed a deal setting marine jurisdictions, rejecting unilateral and illegal activities by regional countries and international firms, and protecting the rights of both countries. The deal was registered by the U.N. in October 2020.
Speaking to the Libyan News Agency during an exclusive interview this week, Saleh noted that the House of Representatives will not approve any agreement unless it passes through its legal and constitutional channels, and that the agreement signed by Fayez al-Sarraj’s government was not presented to the House of Representatives, because al-Sarraj’s government did not gain the confidence of the legislative authority.
Underlining that Libya has a new opportunity to redefine its maritime position within a broader negotiation framework that includes Türkiye, Egypt and Greece, he said the next stage is "a stage of understandings, not clashes," and that Libyan sovereignty over its territorial waters is "a red line that cannot be crossed."
Saleh also stressed that international agreements can only be made by a legitimate government approved by the House of Representatives, calling it a constitutional rule that cannot be bypassed. He said the former government led by Fayez al-Sarraj was not approved by Parliament and therefore lacked the authority to sign an international treaty of such scope. Saleh added that the agreement was neither presented to Parliament nor ratified.
Addressing international reactions, Saleh said some countries recognize the agreement as illegitimate, while others treat it as a fait accompli for political reasons. He said Greece initially reacted strongly, viewing the deal as harmful to its interests, but has since shown willingness to engage in dialogue. Saleh said Egypt has maintained a clear and firm position from the outset, stressing that the agreement does not contribute to regional stability. He added that Türkiye has also expressed readiness to enter comprehensive negotiations with Libya.
He added: “Personally, I am not against the agreement with Türkiye, but the matter requires it to be studied by experts who will present it to the legitimate government, and then this government will refer it to the House of Representatives for approval. This will only happen after we have defined our borders and ensured that they are not violated by any of the neighboring countries.”
Responding to a question about whether Libya is being forced to choose between the Egypt-Greece axis and Türkiye, Saleh remarked that Libya is an independent state and refuses to be drawn into regional rivalries. “Libya is not subservient to anyone,” he said, adding that the country maintains relations with all parties but rejects acting as a tool in regional competition. Saleh highlighted that Libya’s interests come first and that any negotiations must be conducted from the position of a sovereign state, not through alignment with any bloc.
He said dialogue with Egypt is important given its status as a neighboring country and a key partner in regional security, while Greece has direct interests as a Mediterranean state, and Türkiye holds significant weight and a historical presence in the region. Saleh added that Libya is not obliged to fully align with any side and seeks a balanced approach that protects its rights and ensures stable relations with all parties.
Insisting on its maximalist claims, Athens has repeatedly claimed the deal is "invalid ... non-existing,” and systematically has pushed Libya to undo it.
Türkiye is a key actor in the region and seeks to expand its clout in Libya. Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın has recently paid a visit to the country, while Ankara also reached out to Haftar for more cooperation, marking a shift in its Libya policy.
Most recently, the Turkish Presidency formally submitted a motion to Parliament for a 24-month extension of Turkish troops’ deployment in Libya last week.
The motion points to the 2019 request by Libya’s Government of National Unity for support from Türkiye amid attacks to unseat it, which began in April 2019. It says that attacks and internal turmoil ceased in the subsequent period, and this prevented Libya from falling into chaos and instability, which would pose a security risk both for Türkiye and the entire region.
The Turkish Parliament first allowed the deployment of troops in Libya for one year in January 2020.
