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Amid a series of economic, financial and social crises that plague Lebanon and threaten its fate in the center, there are fears of signs of an additional crisis in the context of what was raised about the maritime borders between Lebanon and Syria, and the signature of Damascus. of an agreement with the Russian company “Capital” to explore for oil in the Syrian offshore block Number One, overlapping with Blocks 1 and 2 on the Lebanese side.
While Syria was reported to have filed a complaint with the United Nations against Lebanon, refusing to recognize the demarcation of its maritime borders with it in 2011, doubts were raised about the absence of an official position, specifically the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about this major problem. The “insinuations” reached the point of “accusations” of loss of a sea area of up to 1,000 square kilometers on the border with Syria and the absence of official follow-up on the case. What is the strength of the hype and where is the truth of the fears?
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the interim government, Charbel Wahba, rejects what is said about the absence of Lebanon to follow up on this issue, noting that “it was only yesterday in the media, but that does not mean that we are absent” . of the information or the audience “.
Wehbe reveals, on the Lebanese Forces website, that “there has been an exchange of notes between Lebanon and the Syrian government in this regard, since 2011, in addition to exchanging notes also with the United Nations, but it is not necessary to disclose them. and talk about them in the media. Syria’s signing of an exploration contract with a company does not mean that Lebanon’s rights have been lost.
And he states: “Lebanon is registering its positions with the United Nations and with the Syrian government on Arab friendship and brotherhood, as there is a big difference in the way we deal with the Israeli enemy and our deal with Syria.” Stressing that “in all cases, whatever Syria does that harms Lebanon’s interests, we will have a position, clarifications and direct responses to the Syrian government and the United Nations, if necessary.
Regarding the next steps of the Lebanese government or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in this regard, Wahba points out that “it is not possible to talk about the next step we will take, because the data was not released in the media until yesterday.” However, he adds, “The file is in my hands, and I am following the information,” underlining that “there is a sequence of notes and correspondence between Lebanon and Syria since 2011, and in 2014, and until 2017, and there It is not true to say that the Lebanon has abandoned its rights ”.
Wahba explains: “It is a fallacy to speak of a Syrian complaint against Lebanon in 2014. What happened is that Syria sent a memorandum to the United Nations Secretariat to prove its position on the memorandum that Lebanon sent in 2011, and the Lebanon returned in turn. and submitted a memorandum to confirm his position. “
It indicates: “The process of exchange of notes with the United Nations is not a complaint but a confirmation of positions. But it is not possible to publicize everything we do in the media on this issue, which has not yet reached its conclusion “, considering that” there are diplomatic matters that cannot be discussed until we have reached a conclusion, for what is the point of revealing all our diplomatic papers in the media and exposing them to the risk of losing their value? ”. Explaining that “the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cannot operate in light of media exposure in this way.”
He considers: “This issue deeply requires that Lebanon and Syria sit at the negotiating table and agree through one or two joint committees to demarcate the maritime boundaries between them”, explaining that “in international law and the law of the sea , any dispute The area between two countries cannot be entered by any company. “To it and to begin exploration and exploration operations until the conflict is resolved,” he added, “We are not in conflict with Syria. Rather, the Lebanese-Syrian maritime sector borders are not yet demarcated. We deposited our maps with the United Nations and Syria did the same.
Wahba reveals, to the “Forces” website, that “Lebanon requested the Syrian side, through a memorandum in May 2017, that the negotiations be carried out through diplomatic means between the two countries, based on international law. and friendship and brotherhood relations between them, to end the maritime dispute over the maritime borders between the two parties, and we are not yet waiting for the Syrian response. But this does not mean rejecting or accepting what we demand. Rather, the Syrian side has not yet sent its reply. “
He hopes that “these clarifications will be enough to stop Shushra at this point, leaving the issue to the diplomatic relationship between Lebanon and Syria and its continuation, so that we can reach a conclusion by following up on the issue through diplomatic and legal means between two sister countries. , not to create a new dispute or division. “
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