Atwasat

Greek Media: Dendias cut visit to Tripoli short after Mangoush tried to ‘force’ meeting




Alwasat - Cairo Thu 17 Nov 2022, 03:28 PM
alwasat radio

A Tripoli meeting between Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and Libyan Presidential Council leader Mohamed Menfi was canceled at the last minute on Thursday.

The meeting had not been originally scheduled to take place during the minister’s trip to Libya but according to Greek media, Menfi had requested that Dendias make a stop in Tripoli to meet with him on Wednesday.

Dendias agreed on the condition that only Menfi and no other person would be present.

When the aircraft landed in Tripoli, however, Government of National Unity Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush was waiting to receive him, at which point Dendias decided to depart without meeting Menfi.

Greek Foreign Ministry sources spoke of a diplomatic “foul,” saying that Libyan authorities had hoped to “force” a meeting, according to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.

As Foreign Minister for Libya's Government of National Unity, Mangoush signed the Turkish-Libyan agreement for hydrocarbon exploration with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in October. 

The agreement os based on the maritime borders agreement signed by Ankara and the Tripoli-based government in 2019, which has been condemned by the international community.

Athens’ position is that the term of Mangoush's government has expired and it cannot legitimately sign international agreements that are binding for the country’s future.

Meanwhile, Mangoush's foreign ministry issued a statement on Twitter later on Thursday condemning Dendias’ move and vowing to “take action.”

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