Greece to expel Libyan ambassador over Turkey-Libya maritime accord

Greece is expelling the Libyan ambassador to the country, angered at an accord between Libya and Turkey, signed on November 27, which maps out a sea boundary between the two countries, close to Crete.

Mohamed Younis AB Menfi has 72 hours to leave the country, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias told reporters on Friday. The Turkey-Libyan accord was a “blatant violation of international law,” Dendias said.

Ankara is backing Libya’s internationally recognized government. The agreement on maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean Sea between Turkey and the Tripoli-based government could complicate disputes over energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean, where Turkish drilling has angered Greek Cypriots, Athens, and the EU.