Libya is claiming before the UN that its continental shelf extends to the Greek island of Crete and that the sea surrounding Crete should be called the Cretan Sea rather than the Libyan Sea.
Libya claims continental shelf extending to the Greek island of Crete before the UN
Libya recently sent a diplomatic note to the United Nations, aiming to expand its claims over the continental shelf in the Mediterranean Sea. The attached map stretches Libya’s claimed maritime boundaries right up to the Greek island of Crete, directly overlapping with Greece’s established hydrocarbon exploration zones.
This note verbale disputes the “median line” principle set by Greece and lines up closely with the maritime boundaries from the Turkey-Libya agreement signed in recent years. Still, many observers doubt these claims hold much legal weight under international law.
Libya’s note verbale has no legal standing, say officials
Libya’s recent note to the UN, dated 27 May 2025, directly challenges Greece’s maritime claims in the Eastern Mediterranean near Crete. But diplomatic sources argue this document doesn’t actually change any legal rights or affect the boundaries already in place.
The note goes against the median line principle and the zones recognized by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Experts remind us that unilateral diplomatic notes can’t just alter entitlements like the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) or continental shelf boundaries.
Greece and Egypt have already shot down similar Libyan claims in previous exchanges. International law requires actual negotiation, not just one-sided declarations. Agreements without legal validity, like the Turkey-Libya memorandum, don’t carry real weight.
Key Points |
Explanation |
|---|---|
Maritime boundary |
Defined by UNCLOS, based on median lines |
Legal effect |
Note verbale lacks binding power under international law |
Sovereign rights |
Exercised according to recognised treaties |
Hydrocarbon exploration |
Licensed by states within their EEZ or continental shelf |
Greece says it’ll uphold its sovereign rights and territory as international law allows. The government plans to keep seeking diplomatic solutions with support from regional allies.
Greek Foreign Minister’s Trip to Libya Amid Claims over Maritime Borders near Crete
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis recently visited Libya for talks with top Libyan officials, including Mohamed Menfi, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and Acting Foreign Minister Taher Al Baour. The discussions covered the long-standing relationship between the two countries and the need for cooperation given their shared geography.
A major topic was the disputed maritime boundaries, especially south of Crete. Greece insists it acts within its sovereign rights under international law and wants to delimit Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) with its neighbors. Libya, on the other hand, has sent formal notes to the UN, signaling an extension of its maritime claims up to Crete, which has triggered diplomatic tension.
The talks touched on broader issues too, like migration, which remains a headache for both countries due to flows across the Mediterranean. Despite the pressure, both sides say they’re willing to keep the dialogue open and look for peaceful solutions.
The situation gets even trickier because of Libya’s divided politics: the GNU in Tripoli, which met with Gerapetritis, and the rival Government of National Stability (GNS) in the east. Just in July, the eastern administration expelled a European delegation that included Greece’s Minister of Migration. That move highlighted Libya’s internal divisions.
Gerapetritis emphasized Greece’s commitment to resolving maritime disputes under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He’s aiming for an agreement that respects both countries’ rights and international legal standards.
Topic |
Greek Position |
Libyan Position |
|---|---|---|
Maritime Border Claims |
Sovereign rights, lawful delimitation |
Extension of claims to Crete, challenging Greece |
Migration Cooperation |
Joint management and control |
Shared concern due to Mediterranean routes |
Political Context |
Talks with GNU, acknowledges conflict |
Divided administrations, rival government actions |
Athens Rejects Imposed Facts – A Legal Reply to Libya
Athens stands firm: international law isn’t something you can bend with a unilateral statement or a wish from across the sea. In response to Libya’s latest declaration at the UN, Greece stresses its commitment to sticking with established international legal frameworks—no shortcuts.
The maps attached to Libya’s note from 27 May 2025 show claims Athens calls legally void. Greece rejects the 2019 Turkey-Libya memorandum and any attempts to redraw boundaries based on it. Instead, Athens grounds its policies in recognized legal principles and makes its views clear in diplomatic meetings, including recent trips to Libya.
Core Positions of Athens
- Rejection of Unilateral Maritime Claims: Greece refuses to accept territorial changes created through what it sees as invalid agreements, like the Turkey-Libya deal.
- Respect for Maritime Zones under International Law: Athens insists islands generate maritime zones and can’t just be ignored when drawing boundaries.
- Support for Renewed Negotiations: The Greek government signals it’s open to restarting talks on maritime boundaries, hoping for peaceful and lawful dialogue.
- Opposition to Libya’s Claims on Hydrocarbon Exploration: Greece pushes back against Libya’s demand to revoke hydrocarbon exploration licenses granted by Athens and Cairo, since those were issued through proper legal channels.
Libya’s Arguments and Greece’s Response
Libya wants Greece and Egypt to cancel their hydrocarbon licenses until the dispute gets sorted. Libya also argues that maritime boundaries should ignore islands, drawing lines only between mainlands—a stance Turkey took in 2020, which Athens flatly rejects.
Even so, Libya has said it’s open to dispute resolution under Article 33 of the UN Charter. That could mean negotiations, mediation, or even going to the International Court of Justice. Athens, though, insists any talks must stick to legal norms and can’t accept deals it considers invalid.
Legal and Political Dimensions
Issue |
Greek Position |
Libyan Claim |
|---|---|---|
Validity of Turkey-Libya Deal |
Considered null and void |
Claims it defines maritime zones |
Status of Islands |
Islands generate maritime zones per international law |
Islands should be excluded from delimitation |
Hydrocarbon Exploration Licences |
Legitimate under international law |
Should be revoked pending dispute resolution |
Acceptance of Dialogue |
Willing to negotiate within legal framework |
Open to dialogue including legal dispute mechanisms |
Athens also sees Libya’s declaration of an exclusive economic zone in the Ionian Sea and its maritime spatial planning as illegal. These moves add to the maritime tension and reinforce Greece’s insistence on sticking to international law.
Athens isn’t about to recognize realities imposed through what it sees as invalid agreements. The focus stays on lawful conduct and open dialogue, grounded in solid legal principles. Greece keeps the door open for diplomacy, as long as the process respects international law.
The sea surrounding Crete should be called the Cretan Sea, not the Libyan Sea
For years, official maritime bodies like the Hellenic Navy’s Hydrographic Service and the National Meteorological Service have called the waters around Crete the Cretan Sea. They split it into two: the Northern Cretan Sea and the Southern Cretan Sea.
But here’s the odd part—plenty of maps and schoolbooks still call the sea south of Crete the Libyan Sea. It’s a stubborn bit of history that doesn’t seem to want to budge.
People keep asking for updates to textbooks and maps so they match the official names. Yet nothing really changes, mostly because government decisions crawl along and no one seems to coordinate the effort.
Businesses, media, and publishers also stick with the old name, Libyan Sea. That just adds more confusion, honestly.
They’re ignoring the official terminology, and the result? No one’s quite sure what to call the waters south of Crete.
Names matter, though. When countries argue about maritime zones, like Greece and Libya do, what you call a sea isn’t just a detail—it ties right into sovereignty, continental shelves, exclusive economic zones, and so on.
Official Terminology |
Usage |
Source |
|---|---|---|
Northern Cretan Sea |
Used by Navy, Meteorological Service |
Hydrographic and Meteorological Services |
Southern Cretan Sea |
Used by official bodies |
Hydrographic and Meteorological Services |
Libyan Sea |
Used in old maps, textbooks, some media |
Various non-governmental sources |
When official publications and school materials keep using Libyan Sea, it goes against what the Greek state agencies say. This contradiction just weakens Greece’s position on maritime claims.
People have pushed to update school names first. What kids learn shapes how they see the world and their country.
If we updated maps and textbooks, at least education would finally match up with the official stance.
The government’s slow pace lets the old terms hang around. It’s not just a paperwork thing—it can mess with national unity and make negotiations with neighbors even trickier.
