Τurkey has sharply criticized Greece after Athens signed exclusive hydrocarbon exploration lease agreements with U.S. energy giant Chevron for offshore areas south of the island of Crete.
In a statement issued Thursday, Turkey’s Ministry of Defense accused Greece of pursuing “unilateral actions” in maritime zones linked to hydrocarbon exploration. Ankara claims the move violates international law as well as the Turkey-Libya memorandum on maritime jurisdiction areas.
MAP: Turkey-Libya memorandum
MAP: sea area off Crete covered by Greek-Chevron energy deal
The energy deal between Greece and Chevron was signed in Athens on Monday.
Turkey Cites International Law and Libya Agreement
According to the Turkish Defense Ministry, while the exploration activities do not directly infringe upon Turkey’s continental shelf, they encroach on maritime jurisdiction areas that Libya declared to the United Nations on May 27, 2025.
Ankara reiterated its support for Libyan authorities, describing Greece’s actions as “illegal and unilateral.” Turkish officials reportedly argue that the agreement disregards the maritime boundaries outlined in the Turkey-Libya memorandum, which remains a key pillar of Turkey’s policy in the region.
Greece’s respond
In Athens, Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou recalled in an interview with Parapolitika FM that last June at the European Council, “ Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis succeeded in including a specific paragraph in the conclusions stating that the 27 EU member-states consider that the Turkiye-Libya memorandum of understanding on maritime jurisdiction in the Mediterranean violates the sovereign rights of third countries, is inconsistent with the law of the sea, and cannot produce legal effects for third countries.”
Papastavrou also emphasized that with this “ European recognition of the illegality and invalidity of the Turkiye-Libya memorandum, Chevron now effectively states that it does not give weight to these illegal Turkish claims.”
“We exercise our sovereign rights with confidence, in accordance with International Law and the Law of the Sea,” the minister stressed.
As far as I can see the relevant international law would be The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Turkey is not a signatory to that law. I don’t understand how they can refuse to recognise it and simultaneously appeal to it? Libya is a signatory but has not ratified UNCLOS so they do not formally recognise it and any claim they have would be at least dubious.