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This negotiating project, sought by the United States of America, has been successful in its initial stages (after a decade of give and take) in imposing the framework it wants as the basis for negotiations, but the matter may not continue if the negotiation it loses the internal unity that surrounds it. Reaching an official Lebanese understanding on the unified framework announced by the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, not only collided with American evasion and Israeli intransigence, but also with internal division, as the opinions of some political forces had previously been identified. with Washington’s demands, especially regarding the separation of land and sea routes. . And now, as the US administration embarks on the greatest process of pressure on Lebanon to besiege the resistance and attack Hezbollah, Lebanon will enter the negotiation process under the weight of sanctions that Washington can use to rob Lebanon of part of its rights. , which led Berri to previously consider that “the battle will begin now.” See “News”, Friday September 25, 2020).
About two months after he revealed that he had reached an agreement with the Americans on the negotiating framework and bringing matters to a conclusion, Berri officially announced at a press conference held yesterday in Ain al-Tina, the practical framework to negotiate the demarcation of land and sea borders in southern Lebanon, in the presence of the Minister of National Defense in government. Vigilante Zeina Aker, Armed Forces Commander General Joseph Aoun, UNIFIL Force Commander Stefano Del Col and the representative of the Special Coordinator of the United Nations Secretary General in Lebanon, Jan Kubisch Najat Rushdie. Berri paved the way for this statement by speaking of the “armistice agreement signed between Lebanon and the Israeli entity in 1949 under the supervision of the then head of the United Nations with the participation of an American colonel named Kimnon.” Likewise, not long ago, the Blue Line was demarcated at land borders or part of them under the auspices of UNIFIL, and based on the understanding of April 1996, and after confirming the presence of gas and oil in our countries. maritime borders, I personally set out since 2010, requesting the United Nations and its Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to demarcate maritime borders and white line drawn in the blue Mediterranean ». She said: “After the United Nations hesitated and prevented it, and even asked the United States of America for help, I took the initiative to seek help personally. It’s worth noting that Secretary Pompeo’s visit to Lebanon and our meeting put the file back on the table after it nearly stopped and after it had stumbled for a long time.
Then, the President of the Council read the practical framework for negotiating the demarcation of the maritime and land borders in southern Lebanon in its last modified version on September 22, 2020 (a text prepared by the US administration), and its content:
First, take advantage of the positive experience of the tripartite mechanism that has existed since the understandings of April 1996 and now under Security Council Resolution 1701, which has made progress in the area of decisions on the Blue Line.
Second, on the issue of maritime borders, meetings will be held permanently at the United Nations headquarters in Naqoura under the United Nations flag. The meetings will be held under the auspices of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) team. The representatives of the United States and the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon are ready to jointly prepare the minutes of the meetings, which will be signed by them and sent to Israel and Lebanon for their signature at the end of each meeting.
Third, both parties (Israel and Lebanon) asked the United States to act as a mediator and facilitator for the demarcation of the Israeli-Lebanese maritime borders, and it is ready for that.
Fourth, when an agreement on the demarcation agreement is finally reached, the maritime boundary demarcation agreement will be deposited with the United Nations in accordance with international law and relevant international treaties and practices.
Fifth, when reaching agreements in the discussions on land and maritime borders, these agreements will be implemented in accordance with the following: 1- At the land borders, as regards the Blue Line: After the signature by Lebanon, Israel and UNIFIL.
2- At the maritime borders, extending up to the maritime limit of the special economic zones of the interested parties, the results of the final discussions of the talks agreed for Lebanon and Israel for their signature and implementation.
Sixth, the United States intends to use its best efforts with stakeholders to help establish and maintain a positive and constructive atmosphere with the two parties in order to successfully manage and conclude the aforementioned negotiations as soon as possible.
During his response to the journalists’ questions, Berri considered that this issue “, if successful, will help solve the economic crisis and will pay off our debt, due to the presence of oil wealth in Blocks 8 and 9”. As for whether there are Israeli and American pressures that could push Lebanon to renounce its rights, she said: “I have always said that this glass of water will not be given to anyone, nor do I want to take as much or more from anyone . ” “This agreement was signed. There were no sanctions and nothing else.” Regarding the repercussions of what is happening in the region, especially on the issue of standardization, on this agreement, he said: “Our position is to adhere to these principles on which we all agree, starting with His Excellency the President until another Lebanese ”. , Important company of the consortium, before the end of the year. When French President Emmanuel Macron was in Beirut, I asked him to speak to Total, and that it would not be a minute late, and we hope there will be no delay. This understanding will help start the exploration, because now it is 25 kilometers from the line in dispute with the Israeli entity.
Shankar: What was announced does not mean normalizing relations, and Hezbollah may sabotage the agreement
Yesterday ended the role of Berri, he said, so that the responsibility is transferred to the leadership of the army, the presidency and the next government. Does anyone guarantee that pressure on these parties will not lead to concessions? “We just want to do the right thing,” Berri emphasized, “and I’m no more interested in that than others.” It requires experience and anchoring. The spokesman added: “They said that Nabih Berri takes the powers of the President of the Republic. We told them no, and the last person to violate the constitution is me.” Article 52 of the constitution gives authority to the president of the republic in matters of international negotiations and agreements, but this is a framework agreement, and it is like the one that guides you along the path that you should only take.
The statements that followed the conference confirmed the existence of prior coordination with the US side and UNIFIL, and an agreement on the official statement, which explains the speed of the welcoming positions. It also explains the intersection of interests between the three parties: Lebanon, which wants to fully regain its rights and benefit from its oil wealth on the southern borders. The Israeli enemy wants to close this file with “goodness” after it failed to impose its conditions by force, and the United States, specifically US President Donald Trump, who wants to present this statement as one of the achievements of peace in the region.
Bassil: We have to negotiate the Lebanese way, not Persian or Arab
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was quick to announce that his country welcomed “the decision of the governments of Israel and Lebanon,” noting that “this historic agreement between the two parties was mediated by the United States, and it is the result of almost three years of intense diplomatic participation. ” Pompeo limited the deal to the maritime side of the border, before concluding his statement by talking about his country’s aspiration for “separate expert-level consultations on pending issues related to the Blue Line, which promise an additional step toward regional stability. “. As for his assistant, David Schenker, he assured that “negotiations with” Hezbollah regarding the demarcation of the border between Lebanon and Israel “will not be finalized, noting that” this historic agreement will help solve the final problem in Lebanon. ” He stressed that “the negotiations between Lebanon and Israel are a positive step, and the agreement will help Lebanon, which is going through an economic crisis.” “The framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel does not mean normalizing relations, and Hezbollah may sabotage the agreement. between the two countries, “Schenker said in an interview with MTV, emphasizing that his country” will continue to place Lebanese officials who support the party on the sanctions list. “
UNIFIL was also quick to welcome this step, and expressed its willingness to provide all the necessary support to achieve these agreements, while President Michel Aoun welcomed the “statement issued by the Secretary of State of the United States”, declaring in a statement that “the president will undertake negotiations in accordance with the provisions of Article 52. Since the constitution, beginning with the formation of the Lebanese negotiating delegation and following the pace of the negotiation stages.” In turn, the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, Gebran Bassil, tweeted on his Twitter account, saying: “If the framework agreement required all this time, effort, internal solidarity and positive cooperation from those involved, then how about the agreement? demarcation and sharing agreement? “This time, we have to negotiate not in the Persian or Arab way, but in our Lebanese way, firmly and flexibly.” Toughness in respect of rights and flexibility in science and the solutions “.
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