Egypt, Cyprus, Greece and France consider the Sarraj and Erdogan Agreements null and void
As part of the ongoing consultation and coordination, the foreign ministers of Egypt, France, Cyprus and Greece met in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the latest developments in the Eastern Mediterranean region in light of the growing tensions threatening peace and stability in that region. A consultative framework.
The ministers stressed the strategic nature of relations between their countries due to geographical, historical and cultural ties, in full accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and that relationship forms a strong foundation for cooperation in many areas.
The ministers reaffirmed their determination to make more joint efforts to address the growing challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean region, notably armed conflict, terrorism and irregular migration.
The ministers considered the signing of the memorandums of understanding between Turkey and Fayez al-Sarraj, president of libya's Presidential Council, in November, in violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions and international law.
The Ministers stressed that those notes had further undermined regional stability, and that both were null and void.
In addition, the Turkish-Libyan Memorandum of Understanding on the demarcation of maritime borders in the Mediterranean violates the sovereign rights of other states, does not comply with the law of the sea and cannot have any legal implications. The ministers also reiterated the need for full respect for the sovereignty and sovereign rights of all States in their maritime regions of the Mediterranean.
In this regard, the Ministers strongly condemned turkey's continued actions in the exclusive economic zone and territorial waters of Cyprus. The ministers called on Turkey to immediately cease all illegal exploration activities.
The ministers considered the security memorandum and any decision to send troops to Libya as a serious violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2259 and other relevant UN Security Council resolutions, a threat to regional security and stability, and called for an immediate reduction in
escalation.
In this context, the four ministers stressed their deep concern over Turkey's recent violations of international law in the eastern Mediterranean. The ministers expect Turkey to act responsibly and stress the need for the Mediterranean countries to cooperate in good faith and constructively to ensure the security and stability of the Mediterranean on the basis of international law.
Ministers stressed that a comprehensive political solution is the only way to resolve the Libyan crisis and restore stability in Libya. The ministers reaffirmed their full commitment to working towards a political solution to the crisis in Libya. They also expressed their keenness to avoid escalation there. In this context, the ministers of the four countries expressed their support for the efforts of The Special Representative of The Secretary-General Ghassan Salameh, the Initiatives of the United Nations and the Berlin Process.
The ministers stressed their countries' determination to intensify joint cooperation with a view to enhancing the well-being of their people. They also reiterated their determination to continue to coordinate mutually on their positions and measures aimed at achieving the security and stability of their States and the Eastern Mediterranean, including through the fight against terrorism.
In conclusion, the ministers stressed the need to prioritize regional cooperation and comprehensive economic development that all countries in the region aspire to, in full accordance with international law.
They also stressed that development would contribute to regional stability and prosperity, and that this goal was currently hampered by ongoing crises that should be seriously resolved as soon as possible.
The ministers agreed to continue their consultations and hold their next meeting in Crete, Greece, at an agreed date.