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MENA Observatory – Lebanon
Lebanon is officially notifying from the US side the postponement of the next round of negotiations with Israel on the demarcation of maritime borders, Lebanese sources reported Monday.
The media quoted a Lebanese military source as saying: “You officially inform us of the postponement of the indirect negotiation session”, without specifying the reasons, noting that it is the US side that requested the delay.
According to the source, US diplomat John Deruscher, who plays the role of facilitator in the sessions, will arrive in Beirut on the date of the session, which was scheduled for Wednesday at a base of the UN Provisional Forces in the south. of Lebanon in the Naqoura border area.
Notably, the Lebanese announcement came after Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz accused Lebanon of “changing its position on its maritime borders with Israel seven times”, warning that the talks would reach a “dead end. ”.
The Israeli minister said in a tweet on Twitter that “whoever wants prosperity in our region and seeks to safely develop natural resources must adhere to the principle of stability and resolve the dispute on the basis of what Israel and Lebanon have deposited in nations. United “.
For its part, the Lebanese presidency denied the Israeli accusation, stating that Beirut’s position is “fixed” on the issue of demarcation.
It should be noted that Lebanon and Israel have held three rounds of indirect negotiations since last month under the auspices of the United States and the United Nations. The next hearing was scheduled for December 2.
The negotiations mainly concern a marine area covering some 860 square kilometers, according to a map sent in 2011 to the United Nations. However, Lebanon subsequently considered that it was based on erroneous estimates.
During the negotiation sessions, Lebanon demanded an additional area of 1,430 square kilometers that includes part of the Karish field in which the Greek company Energian operates, the director of the Institute for the Governance of Natural Resources in the Middle East and North told AFP. from Africa, Laurie Haitien, considering that the two countries entered the “stage of the map war.”
It should be noted that in 2018 Lebanon signed the first contract to explore for gas and oil in two areas of its territorial waters, one of which, known as Block No. 9, is located in the part that is disputed with Israel. Consequently, Lebanon has no option to operate in this territory except after the borders are demarcated.
The two countries agreed to start negotiations after years of diplomatic efforts led by Washington.
