By Lena Argiri
The U.S. State Department is urging countries in the Eastern Mediterranean to resolve their maritime disputes through good-faith negotiations, a spokesperson told Kathimerini.
The spokesperson was responding to questions about Washington’s reaction to the Libyan Parliament’s ratification of the Turkey-Libya maritime agreement and whether it was concerned that the move could heighten regional tensions and create further uncertainty for U.S. energy investments and exploration.
“We encourage our partners in the Eastern Mediterranean to resolve their differences over maritime zones through good-faith negotiations,” the spokesperson said.
In its statement to Kathimerini, Washington directly linked easing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean to creating a stable, predictable environment for advancing economic and energy interests. Resolving disputes, it stressed, would help pave the way for investment and exploration.
“Resolving issues concerning maritime zones serves the interests of all parties and opens the way for commercial investment and exploration activities that will benefit the entire Mediterranean region,” the spokesperson explained.
The spokesperson also reiterated Washington’s longstanding support for dialogue between Athens and Ankara.
“Greece and Turkey are both NATO allies. We encourage them to engage in bilateral dialogue to address any points of disagreement between them.”
