Author: Al Marsad
Organization/Publisher: Al Marsad
Date/Place: December 5, 2019, Turkey
Type of literature: Policy analysis
Word Count: 945 (plus 5-page MOU)
Keywords: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Maritime boundaries, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Turkey, Libya
Brief:
Al Marsad published an exclusive scanned full copy of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at the end of November between the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Turkish government of Recep Erdogan on maritime jurisdiction. Principally the document outlines the areas of cooperation between the two countries on issues related to maritime boundaries, economy and security. The article argues that the document indicates that it is a binding and integrated agreement. And in order to give the document legitimacy, Article VI of the GNA-Turkey maritime (MoU) states that each party shall refer it to its respective parliament for approval and ratification. Based on this, al Marsad’s article suggests that this document is not merely a MoU rather it is a fully fledged agreement between the two countries, for that reason it is a binding and integrated agreement. However, it is determined under the name of a MoU. Remarkably, many countries such as Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, and the Zionist state along with the EU and the US State Department have issued official condemnations of the agreement.
By: Fadi Zatari, CIGA Senior Research Associate