Athens frets at influence of Turkey on Libya

Turkey's growing influence in Libya is reportedly worrying Athens, especially as tensions between Ankara and Benghazi have eased.

This was facilitated by last September's Storm Daniel, which led to the deaths of thousands of people in Derna and other cities in eastern Libya, prompting humanitarian aid from Turkey, which was welcomed by Benghazi. Until that time the leadership in Benghazi had not supported Turkish positions.

It should also be recalled that in early December, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received the speaker of the House of Representatives (based in Tobruk), Aguila Saleh Issa, who until recently was heavily critical of Ankara's expansionist strategy in Libya.

It should be noted that the Libyan parliament has not ratified the Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum, which encroaches on Greek sovereignty, and this has boosted Athens' arguments...