Egypt has launched a diplomatic marathon aimed at preventing the ratification of the Turkey-Libya memorandum by the Tobruk-based Parliament in Eastern Libya. Greece is closely monitoring developments, as the Greek Foreign Minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis, is set to visit Tripoli and Benghazi this coming Sunday.

An Egyptian official, speaking anonymously to Middle East Eye—a site focused on Middle Eastern affairs—stated that Cairo is extremely concerned. If Eastern Libya’s Parliament ratifies the agreement, originally signed in 2019 by the rival Western Libyan government, it could spark tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. This comes at a time when Egypt is already grappling with the aftermath of conflicts in Gaza and Sudan.

According to the same source, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty brought up the issue of U.S. intervention in a recent phone call with Masad Boulos, the White House’s senior advisor for African affairs. Boulos reportedly said he would reach out to Khalifa Haftar—the de facto leader of Eastern Libya—to discuss the matter.

Several Libyan media outlets have reported that the Eastern Libyan Parliament may soon ratify the 2019 maritime delineation agreement, which supports Turkey’s claims to an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) over large parts of the Eastern Mediterranean. This Parliament, based in Tobruk, operates under Haftar’s effective control. Since 2011, Haftar has received varying degrees of support from regional powers such as the UAE, U.S., Egypt, France, and Russia.

Six years ago, Libya’s internationally recognized government, backed primarily by Turkey, signed the maritime agreement with Ankara. This caused outrage in Greece and other regional countries that felt excluded. In response, Greece signed a similar maritime delineation agreement with Egypt.

Despite significant diplomatic pressure from Athens and Cairo, Haftar is reportedly leaning toward ratifying the Turkey-Libya agreement. Greek Foreign Minister Gerapetritis is expected to visit both Benghazi and Tripoli this week to address maritime disputes.

Meanwhile, the same sources indicate that Cairo remains cautious about any change in the current maritime delineation regime. In June, Libya’s National Oil Corporation, headquartered in Tripoli, signed a deal with Turkish state-owned TPAO for hydrocarbon exploration in four maritime blocks. According to the Egyptian official, these may violate Egypt’s EEZ.

Eastern Libya’s shift in position reflects a broader realignment in the region, as old ideological divisions that arose after the Arab Spring in 2011 fade. In June, Turkey’s Ministry of Defense welcomed three delegations from Haftar’s so-called Libyan National Army (LNA), and his youngest son, Saddam Haftar, visited Ankara in April, after a prior visit to Qatar.

Sources say Saddam Haftar’s increasing contacts with Ankara—even at a military level—have caused concern in Cairo. In the U.S., the Trump administration reportedly maintains good ties with the Haftar family.

Earlier this year, Saddam Haftar met with Masad Boulos in Washington and held talks on regional security with senior members of U.S. intelligence services.