The Libyan Government of National Unity, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, officially rejected Egypt’s unilateral decision to demarcate its western maritime borders, considering it as a violation of its territorial waters and the continental shelf of the Libyan state.
“This demarcation is unjust because it was unilaterally announced,” reads a statement from the government’s foreign ministry. “It violates Libya’s territorial integrity and the principles of good faith and respect for sovereignty”.
“The delimitation of the borders between the two countries must take place by mutual agreement through negotiations that guarantee the interests of both parties and respect the principle of equality”, adds the statement.
In recent days, the president of Egypt, Abdel Fattah al Sisi, signed a presidential decree to define the western borders of his exclusive economic zone (EEZ).