Egypt holds firm on Mediterranean sovereignty boundaries

Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Emigrants, met with Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey on Friday, in Istanbul on the sidelines of the Quad mechanism meetings with the three European nations.

The two ministers discussed developments in Libya, where Minister Abdelatty emphasized Egypt’s firm stance supporting Libya’s unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and stability, as well as its keenness to support Libyan state institutions in a way that safeguards the interests of the Libyan people and fulfills their aspirations.

The Foreign Minister also reiterated Egypt’s categorical rejection of ratifying the 2019 Memorandum of Understanding regarding the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction zones in the Mediterranean.

He stressed the importance of respecting the principles of international law of the sea and the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) concerning the designation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the continental shelf, in accordance with the principles of justice and equity among states.

For his part, the Turkish minister affirmed his understanding of Egyptian concerns regarding developments in Libya, noting the importance of continued consultation, coordination, and joint action to address these concerns and support efforts to achieve security and stability in Libya.