Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis was in Libya on Tuesday, delivering what he described as a message of “peace, friendship and good neighborly relations,” during an official visit to Tripoli, where he met with the prime minister of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh.
“On behalf of the Greek government and the Greek people, I bring a message of peace and cooperation. Libya is a natural neighbor for Greece, a partner in civilization and history. We aim to continue our path together toward broader regional security and peace,” Gerapetritis said.
The Greek foreign minister’s visit comes days after Libya sent an official letter to the United Nations reasserting the terms of a contentious 2019 Turkish-Libyan maritime borders agreement. The letter also accuses Greece of violating Libyan rights by leasing two offshore blocks to ExxonMobil southwest of Crete, in an area covered by the 2019 deal.
The trip also comes as Athens seeks to increase its engagement with the government in eastern Libya, and particularly with strongman Khalifa Haftar and Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh, in a bid to stem Ankara’s growing influence in the region.
Highlighting the importance of dialogue, Gerapetritis told Dbeibeh that “there are no problems that cannot be solved through discussion.”
“What unites us – geography and history – outweighs what divides us,” he said.
Gerapetritis also expressed hope that his visit would mark the beginning of a constructive relationship between Athens and Tripoli.
“Greece can and should be Libya’s voice in Europe and the world,” he said.