YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Armenia voiced on Monday, September 14, strong support for Egypt’s position in bitter disputes with Turkey over maritime boundaries in the eastern Mediterranean and the conflict in Libya.
Making an official visit to Cairo, Foreign Zohrab Mnatsakanyan also accused Ankara of destabilizing these and neighboring regions, including the South Caucasus.
“We are following closely developments in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Mnatsakanyan said after talks with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry. “We are in solidarity with Greece and Cyprus on their inalienable rights to economic activities in the exclusive economic zone in line with international law.”
“I want to also emphasize our solidarity and support to Egypt in the same way,” he told a joint news conference held shortly before his separate meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Mnatsakanyan went on to praise Egypt’s “commitment to peace and stability” in Libya where Cairo and Ankara support rival warring factions. “We very much welcome your efforts in this regard,” he told Shoukry.
Tensions between Turkey on one side and Greece, Cyprus and Egypt on the other have grown in recent months over conflicting claims to the extent of their continental shelves in the eastern Mediterranean.