US on Turkish-Libyan memorandum: Tripoli is not entitled to sign agreements

The State Department appears to be moving along the same lines as the UN Security Council regarding the two agreements signed by Turkey with the caretaker government of Libya.

The Security Council indirectly but clearly expressed its opposition to the Turkish-Libyan memorandums, citing Article 6 of the Forum for Political Dialogue in Libya (LPDF), which does not allow the caretaker government to sign such agreements.

Responding to a question from APE-MPE, a representative of the State Department reiterated that the government of Tripoli must, based on the commitments it has undertaken, not sign new agreements that disrupt the country's foreign relations or entail long-term obligations for it.

“We note that the Libyan caretaker government is obliged under the provisions of the Libyan Forum for Political Dialogue (LPDF) road map not to consider new agreements that harm the stability of the Libyan state's external relations or impose long-term obligations on it. We will refer you to the governments of Turkey and Libya on the outcome of the recent talks. We call on all parties to refrain from actions that risk escalating tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean," he said.

The spokesman also addressed the issue of energy in the Eastern Mediterranean, echoing the position many high-ranking officials have taken in the wake of the successful US mediation to determine the maritime border between Israel and Lebanon. As he emphasized, "our long-standing belief is that the development of resources in the Eastern Mediterranean should promote cooperation and provide the foundations for sustainable energy security and economic prosperity throughout the region."

Source: ΑΠΕ- ΜΠΕ