An eloquent response to her efforts Ankara normalize relations with Cairoin a way that does not substantially address the Egyptian fears he represents Decree of Abdel Fattah al-Sisiwith whom practically Turkish-Libyan memorandum receives another blow to its authority, and from the regional factor with the greatest influence in the wider region.

The presidential decree unilaterally proclaims the maritime border between Egypt and Libya with the western border along the 25th meridian, i.e. even west of the boundary Border demarcation agreement between Greece and Egypt dated August 2020.

Although Sisi’s decree does not reach the middle line (in the perception of Greece), leaving room for a future trilateral agreement between Greece, Egypt and Libya, it practically covers even more Crete against the possibility that Tripoli would demand an investigation from the Turkish Oil Company (TRAO) at a point near the east of the island.

In a word, this is the second serious challenge of the provisions of the Turkish-Libyan memorandum by Egypt, and in a much worse form for Ankara, since it does not take place after an agreement with Greece, but on the unilateral initiative of Mr. Sisi.

If Mr. Sisi’s statements are combined with ExxonMobil’s ongoing investigations in southwest Crete, it is clear from the facts to the Tripoli government that it cannot act with the sole purpose and criterion of serving Turkish interests in a manner that essentially violates the rights and interests of states of the region. Sisi’s message, in fact immediately after the joint letter of the Turkish and Libyan foreign ministers to the UN against Greece, cannot be ignored by the government of Abdulhamid Dbeiba, who is clear that he will respond in consultation with Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“Turkey will have the last word in Tripoli’s response, which seeks to strengthen relations with Egypt,” says Professor P. Liakouras.

“This is a unilateral demarcation. Egypt’s demarcation is accurate based on the law of the sea. And wants to demonstrate its claims to the territories remaining outside the Greco-Egyptian demarcation west of the 26th meridian.” – says Petros Liakouras “K”.Professor of International Law, Director of the Postgraduate Program “International and European Studies” at the University of Piraeus.

Mr. Liakouras emphasizes that Sisi’s decree “implements the Libyan side of the Turkish-Libyan demarcation. Now he is expanding this line. This helps us because it further limits the visibility of the Turkish coast in Libya.” According to Mr. Liakouras, after this action by Egypt, “we have to wait for Libya’s response. Thus, Egypt poses a huge dilemma for Libya. If Tripoli rejects it, then Egypt’s door to Libya will be closed. And I wonder: would Libya want this politically?” And concludes Mr. Liakouras, believing that “the last word in the response of Libya will be with Turkey, which seeks to strengthen relations with Egypt.”

Finally, it is noted that the Minister for Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias Yesterday I spoke on the phone with my Egyptian colleague Sameh Shukri.