Libya’s parliament speaker draws “red line” on territorial waters

Libya’s parliamentary speaker has drawn a firm line over the country’s maritime sovereignty, as reported by the Libya Review on December 5. He warned that Libya will not compromise its territorial waters and outlined a new proposal to break the country’s prolonged political deadlock.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ageela Saleh, said Libya’s territorial waters represent a “red line,” stressing that the country will not offer concessions to satisfy foreign interests and retains the full right to defend its sovereignty under international law. His remarks were made during a televised interview with Al-Masar TV.

Saleh confirmed that his recent visit to Greece centred on discussions surrounding the Turkey-Libya maritime agreement, including the conditions under which the deal was signed. He noted that Libya’s exclusive maritime boundaries have not yet been clearly defined and must be delineated through fair and transparent negotiations with neighbouring states, in accordance with international legal principles.

Saleh has previously made clear his stance on the 2019 maritime deal signed between Turkey and Libya, stating that it is legally invalid and non-binding for the Libyan state.

Saleh emphasised that the agreement was concluded by the former Government of National Accord led by Fayez al-Sarraj, an administration aligned with western Libya and supported by Turkey. The 2019 maritime deal has been discussed by the House of Representatives on previous occasions.

The retired Turkish admiral and the architect of the Libya–Turkey maritime agreement, Admiral Cihat Yaycı, stated that the agreement clearly defined Libya’s maritime rights and also blocked attempts by Greece to seize areas that he claimed contain “trillions of dollars” worth of natural gas reserves, as reported by The Libya Observer on December 6.

Clarifying the role of parliament, Saleh said the House of Representatives does not sign international agreements but holds the authority to ratify them if they align with national interests. Any changes to the Turkey-Libya maritime agreement, he added, can only be pursued by a government that has formally received the confidence of the House. He also emphasised that parliamentary committees reviewing maritime or sovereignty-related matters retain the power to approve, amend, or reject expert findings.

Turning to domestic politics, Saleh acknowledged that forming a new unified government to oversee elections is no longer realistic amid the current stalemate. Instead, he proposed establishing a specialised committee dedicated solely to managing the electoral process. According to Saleh, the body would operate independently from the government and focus on ensuring neutrality and efficiency.

During his televised interview Saleh also expressed deep sorrow over the death of Lieutenant General Mohamed Al-Haddad, who was recently killed alongside others in a plane crash. He described Al-Haddad as a national figure who played a vital role in efforts to unify Libya’s military institution.

Addressing the investigation into the crash, Saleh raised concerns about France’s refusal and Germany’s reservations regarding analysis of the aircraft’s black box, noting that its transfer to Britain warrants scrutiny.

Libya Review, The Libya Observer, Maghrebi.org