Libyan politicians and close associates of the National Oil Corporation demanded a quick move to stop the Turkish efforts to explore for oil in the eastern Mediterranean.
Member of the House of Representatives, Miloud Al-Aswad, in his interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, stated that if the Presidential Council takes this step will bear its responsibility, given that such contracts are to be decided unanimously by the Presidential Council collectively in accordance with its decision No. 270 of 2017 regarding the distribution of the functions of the Ministry of Oil.”
Al-Aswad, a former director of the Al-Mabrouk and Al-Jarf Al-Bahri oilfields, commented on the request of the Turkish Petroleum Company saying: “Such a direct decision, if issued by Al-Sarraj, is contrary to the regulations of the National Oil Corporation and the laws in force in Libya, as it is considered an unjustified provocative step that comes in a difficult period of time.”
Al-Aswad said that “the country is not able to engage in any external confrontations, rather, this step will increase the interference of the external parties in the internal conflict in Libya.”
A source from the National Oil Corporation told Asharq Al-Awsat that the request made by Turkey has not been decided upon by the Presidential Council.
The source added by saying: “The Foundation totally rejects such operations to explore for oil in regional waters,” explaining: “Turkey has no right to explore in the eastern Mediterranean, but it exploits the need of the GNA for military backup at these times, and thus places it under pressure and blackmail. ”
The Turkish move, in its efforts to explore for oil, constituted the return of concerns about its ambitions in Libya, after the close relations between Ankara and the GNA, in addition to military support for the GNA forces.
The newspaper expected that the Turkish move would stir tensions in the region, after the dispute between Turkey, Greece and Cyprus, in addition to other regional countries, over the ownership of natural resources in the eastern Mediterranean.
