Libya objects to Greek tender for hydrocarbon exploration off Crete
TRIPOLI, June 20 (Reuters) - Libya's internationally recognised government of national unity has objected to Greece's approval of an international tender for hydrocarbon exploration off the island of Crete, saying some of the blocks infringed its own maritime zones.
The two countries have been trying to mend relations strained by an accord signed in 2019 between the Libyan government and Greece's regional rival Turkey, which mapped out a sea area between them close to the Greek island.
Greece opposed the agreement, saying it had no legal basis as it sought to create an exclusive economic zone from Turkey's southern Mediterranean shore to Libya's northeast coast, ignoring the presence of Crete.
Last month Athens invited bidders for hydrocarbon exploration in two blocks south of Crete following an expression of interest by U.S. major Chevron (CVX.N), opens new tab.
Libya's Tripoli-based foreign ministry said in a statement late on Thursday that some of the tendered sea blocks off Crete fell within disputed zones and were "a clear violation of Libya's sovereign rights".
The ministry objected "to any exploration or drilling activities in these areas without a prior legal understanding that respects the rules of international law", it said, calling on Greek authorities to prioritise dialogue and negotiation.
A senior source in Greece's energy ministry said Athens had adhered to the international law of the sea and its government was committed to discussions "within the framework of international legitimacy". The source declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Greek foreign minister George Gerapetritis is expected to visit Libya in the coming weeks, an official with the Greek foreign ministry told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
9 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Palestine Action must be labelled terrorist group, say Farage and Jenrick
Palestine Action should be proscribed as a terrorist organisation after its activists breached security at an air base to damage two RAF planes, Robert Jenrick and Nigel Farage have said. The pair joined other senior politicians in demanding that the group should be banned over its 'illegal' and 'extremist' actions after activists broke into RAF Brize Norton and sprayed red paint into the engines of two Airbus Voyager aircraft. Mr Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, told Sir Keir Starmer: 'You are the Prime Minister – do something. Ban Palestine Action. Investigate the security breach.' Mr Farage, the leader of Reform UK, said: 'Palestine Action must be proscribed as a terrorist organisation after the attack on RAF planes at Brize Norton.' Proscribing Palestine Action would make it illegal to be a member of the group, to invite support for it or to wear clothing or carry flags or placards backing it. Anyone caught doing so would face up to 14 years in prison. It would put the group on a par with membership of the Islamic State, Hamas or Al-Qaeda. Lord Walney, a former government adviser on political violence and disruption, said: 'The Government must now act to ban Palestine Action after this grotesque breach of military security. 'With Iran's nuclear programme on the brink and Britain facing rising threats from abroad, we shouldn't let these criminal activists act like the Ayatollah's apparatchiks by attacking the country from within. 'Employees at the workplaces they target have been systematically terrorised by Palestine Action for too long – this is the moment for ministers to proscribe the group as terrorists or enact the new sanctions recommended in my review submitted to Downing Street and the Home Office.' Suella Braverman, a former home secretary, said: 'This is not a legitimate protest. These are the actions of militant extremists who are undermining our national security. Palestine Action should be proscribed and face the full force of the law.' Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, is understood to support a ban and urged the Government and police to ensure that the activists responsible faced the 'full force of the law'. 'The security breach at Brize Norton is deeply is not lawful protest, it is politically motivated criminality,' she said. 'We must stop tolerating terrorist or extremist groups that seek to undermine our society. The full force of the law must come down on those responsible.' David Taylor, the Labour MP for Hemel Hempstead, also called for Palestine Action to be proscribed, saying its protest at Brize Norton amounted to 'sabotage'. He added: 'This group have engaged in illegal activity – smashing into defence sites, vandalising property and disrupting key infrastructure. These are not isolated incidents – they are part of a coordinated campaign of unlawful direct action. 'Such behaviour puts lives at risk, undermines public safety and is against British values. It is time for the Government to take a firmer stance. I believe Palestine Action should now be considered for proscription under the Terrorism Act. We cannot allow groups who glorify and incite violence to operate unchecked under the guise of activism.' Palestine Action has been involved in previous violent protests. In January last year, it vandalised an office of the logistics company Kuehne+Nagel in Milton Keynes, smashing windows and spraying the building with paint. Last March, it claimed responsibility for spray-painting a historic portrait of Arthur Balfour at Trinity College, Cambridge. Palestine Action said the action was taken because of the 1917 Balfour declaration, in which the UK backed a separate state for Jewish people. Last November, members broke a glass cabinet in the University of Manchester's Chemistry Building and stole two busts of Chaim Weizmann, the first president of Israel and a former lecturer at the university. In March this year, members of Palestine Action threw red paint on the Old Schools building at the University of Cambridge, calling on the university to divest from companies selling arms to the Israeli military.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Exclusive: Turkish Airlines explores Air Europa stake as bid deadline looms
LONDON, June 20 (Reuters) - Turkish Airlines is exploring making a bid for a minority stake in Air Europa, the latest carrier to express interest in the Spanish airline, according to two sources with knowledge of the deal, with binding bids due in the coming weeks. Interested investors have been asked to submit binding bids by early July, one of the sources and two more said. The sources declined to be identified because the terms are confidential. Turkish Airlines' consideration of a bid is significant as there are few examples of carriers outside Europe buying shares in players in the region. The interest has been reported by Spanish online newspaper El Espanol. The deadline for binding bids has not previously been reported. Air France KLM ( opens new tab and Lufthansa ( opens new tab are also in talks with Globalia, the holding company of the family Hidalgo that founded the company, about buying a stake, Reuters reported previously. The airline makes just over a quarter of its revenues from Europe. It has a codeshare agreement with Air Europa. Turkish Airlines ( opens new tab did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while its shareholder Turkey's Wealth Fund declined to comment. A representative for Globalia and the Hidalgo family said they did not want to comment on an ongoing operation because of confidentiality issues. Lufthansa declined to comment. An Air France-KLM spokesperson said the airline is interested in reinforcing its longstanding cooperation with Air Europa. Binding bids would mark the next phase of a prolonged sale process as Air Europa seeks to raise cash to repay a government loan granted during the pandemic. A previous plan had aimed for binding bids in May, two of the sources said. The process has faced delays due in part to disagreements between members of the Hidalgo family and concerns from interested airlines on the structure of the deal, according to the two sources and a fourth one said. The interested parties are working with advisers to structure bids in the hope that buying a minority stake of about 20% may put them in a better position to take control of the airline in the future, the two sources added. Some potential suitors have expressed concern over a lack of clarity about how they may be able to do that, according to the fourth person with knowledge of the talks. Last year, BA-owner IAG (ICAG.L), opens new tab which has a 20% stake, abandoned a deal to take full ownership of the airline after regulators raised issues over competition given its ownership of Spanish carrier Iberia. It also owns Vueling and Aer Lingus. Pressure has mounted on airlines to consolidate in Europe to better compete with major global rivals from the United States and the Middle East. Many are focusing on the most popular routes in southern Europe as a target for expansion. Air Europa flies within Spain and between Madrid and large cities in Europe and Latin America.
South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
UK readies charter flights out of Tel Aviv as Middle East crisis spirals
Downing Street urged Britons in the region to register their presence with the Foreign Office as the crisis deepens and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called on all sides to reach a diplomatic outcome. Number 10 on Friday morning said that the situation remains 'fast-moving' and would continue to be monitored closely as the Government works with Israeli authorities to ready flights out of Tel Aviv. The situation in the Middle East remains perilous. We are determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon. Meeting with @SecRubio and @SteveWitkoff in the White House today, we discussed how a deal could avoid a deepening conflict. A window now exists within the next two… — David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 19, 2025 A spokesman added: 'We are advising British nationals to continue to register their presence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, to be contactable with further guidance on these flights. 'The Foreign Secretary will shortly announce that the Government is working with the Israeli authorities to provide charter flights from Tel Aviv airport once airspace reopens.' Foreign Secretary David Lammy said work was under way to provide the flights 'based on levels of demand' from UK citizens when airspace reopens. Land routes out of Israel remain open and British staff are on hand to support UK nationals who have crossed the border, he added. Sir Keir has also urged Donald Trump to step back from military action against Iran after a series of sabre-rattling posts from the US President on his Truth Social platform. The Prime Minister said there is a 'real risk of escalation' in the conflict, adding that there had previously been 'several rounds of discussions with the US' and 'that, to me, is the way to resolve this issue'. Israeli air strikes reached into the city of Rasht on the Caspian Sea early on Friday, Iranian media reported. Since the conflict erupted last week, at least 657 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 2,000 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. Meanwhile, at least 24 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded. It remains unclear whether the UK would join any military action, although there has been speculation that US involvement could require using the British-controlled base on Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands. The B-2 stealth bombers based there are capable of carrying specialised 'bunker buster' bombs, which could be used against Iran's underground nuclear facility at Fordo. Attorney General Lord Hermer is reported to have raised legal concerns about any British involvement in the conflict beyond defending its allies, which could limit the extent of any support for the US if Mr Trump decides to act militarily. Mr Lammy arrived in Geneva for talks with the Iranian foreign minister and European allies as the UK presses for a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Foreign Secretary is meeting Abbas Araghchi on Friday alongside his counterparts from France, Germany and the EU as he seeks to negotiate a settlement before Mr Trump decides on whether to take military action against Tehran. In a statement read by his press secretary on Thursday, Mr Trump said there was still 'a substantial chance of negotiations' and said he would make a decision on deploying US forces 'within the next two weeks'. Mr Trump had previously said he 'may' join Israeli strikes against Iran and its nuclear programme, but added: 'I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.' Friday's meeting with the so-called E3 countries follows Mr Lammy's visit to Washington, where he met US secretary of state Marco Rubio in the White House on Thursday evening to discuss 'how a deal could avoid a deepening conflict'.
