Turkey on Tuesday said that European Union sanctions against a Turkish firm accused of violating the UN arms embargo on Libya demonstrate double standards and the EU’s biased position.

On Monday, the EU froze the assets of Avrasya Shipping, whose cargo ship was involved in a June 2020 naval incident between NATO members France and Turkey.

The EU accused the company of using the ship to smuggle weapons into Libya. Ankara denies the charges and claims that the ship was carrying only humanitarian aid.

Turkey supported Libya’s internationally recognized government of national accord, based in Tripoli. But eastern Libya and much of the south are controlled by the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khalifa Haftar, supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Russia.

“Paying no attention to those countries and companies, starting with the UAE, that send weapons from land and air to the Haftar putsch driver in violation of decisions (UN Security Council), while the support provided to the legitimate government … is considered a violation of the embargo, it is a clear signal that the EU … is biased,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

Turkey may also face EU sanctions in the near future because of the dispute with Greece and Cyprus over the exploitation of natural resources in the eastern Mediterranean.

Source: Reuters