UN General Assembly
1980

63. Faced with those delaying tactics, Malta finally decided, on the advice of several friendly countries consulted in advance, to authorize exploration activities well on its own side of the median line separating Libya and Malta. Without explanation, without reason, Libya sent armed naval forces and insisted on a cessation of the peaceful and legitimate activities so vital for Malta's economic viability, on the unfounded pretext that the area of operations was a "disputed area".