Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar has flown to Athens for talks ahead of a peace conference in Berlin, a source with knowledge of his arrival said Thursday. The Berlin talks are the latest international effort to end nine months of fighting between Haftar's forces based in the east of Libya and the UN-recognised government in Tripoli. Greece was not invited to take part in Berlin negotiations, but Athens was angered by the Tripoli government signing an maritime and military cooperation deal with regional rival Turkey. "Haftar has landed in Athens," an Athens airport source told AFP as Greek media reported he would meet with the Greek prime minister and foreign minister on Friday. In November the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli signed a memorandum with Turkey carving out energy spheres of influence in the Mediterranean. The Turkish deal claims much of the Mediterranean for energy exploration, conflicting with rival claims by Greece and Cyprus. Greece also expelled the GNA ambassador in protest over the Turkish agreement. Athens also sought to boost links with Haftar, with the Greek foreign minister flying to Benghazi to see him last month. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday said Athens would veto at the EU any Libya peace deal unless the Turkish memorandum was scrapped. "I've told European counterparts (that) Greece will never accept any political solution at (EU) summit level (that fails to) nullify this memorandum," Mitsotakis told Alpha TV. "We will veto this even before it reaches a summit council," he said. The talks in Berlin come as world powers step up efforts for a lasting ceasefire, since Haftar's assault on Tripoli sparked fighting that has killed more than 280 civilians and 2,000 fighters, displacing thousands. str-jph/pma