Greek Ambassador To Libya Returns To Athens Without Assuming Office - Reports

Greek Ambassador to Libya Returns to Athens Without Assuming Office - Reports

ATHENS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th December, 2022) Greek Ambassador Nikos Kotrokois, appointed to Libya just a few weeks ago, has returned to Athens without presenting his credentials and assuming office due to tense relations between the governments of the two countries, Greek news portal antinews.gr reported Friday, citing sources.

The Greek Foreign Ministry decided to recall the ambassador on November 28 despite prior reports that the Greek embassy in Libya resumed operation, according to the news portal.

The relationship between Athens and Tripoli soured in 2019 after then Libyan government � the Government of National Accord � signed a maritime boundary memorandum with Turkey. As part of the deal, Turkey has later published a map of sea zones, according to which a significant part of the waters that Greece considers its exclusive economic zone went to Ankara.

In October 2022, Najla Mangoush, the foreign minister of Libya's Government of National Unity � the country's new provisional government � signed a deal on the joint exploitation of hydrocarbon deposits with Ankara. Athens said that the Government of National Unity had no power to sign such international agreements, since the Libyan parliament had passed a vote of no confidence in it in September 2021.

In November, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias canceled his meeting with Libyan Presidential Council Chairman Mohammed Yunus al-Menfi in Tripoli after being informed that he would be met at the airport by Mangoush, which, according to Athens, was in breach of bilateral protocol agreements.