BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — Greece's foreign minister called off the first leg of a visit to Libya on Thursday, refusing to disembark from his plane after landing in the capital of Tripoli, Greek authorities said. The Greek foreign ministry described the fracas — effectively a snub of Libya's western, Tripoli-based administration — as the result of a violation of protocol and agreed-on terms for the visit. Tensions have been rising in the Mediterranean following a controversial preliminary maritime and gas deal between Turkey and the Tripoli administration. During a Cairo visit last month, Dendias said the deal infringes on Greek maritime borders. In 2019, Turkey signed another controversial maritime border deal with Tripoli, granting it access to a contested economic zone in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Source: Libya Today November 17, 2022 14:25 UTC