Biden urges Israel and Lebanon to work on the implementation of the agreement on their maritime border

Oct. 11 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The president of the United States, Joe Biden, has urged Israel and Lebanon to fulfill their commitments and work on the implementation of the new agreement signed on Tuesday between the two governments to demarcate the common maritime border.

“The agreement announced today by both governments will contemplate the development of energy fields for the benefit of both countries, laying the foundations for a more stable and prosperous region, and taking advantage of new vital energy resources for the world,” Biden said in a statement sent by the White House.

Biden spoke on Tuesday by phone with both the Israeli Prime Minister, Yair Lapid, and the Lebanese President, Michel Aoun, after signing the agreement, which will allow, according to the US president, to protect both “the security and economic interests of Israel” as “promoting the exploitation of Lebanon’s energy resources”.

“I also want to thank the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and his government for their support in these negotiations,” he said, adding that the pact reached between the parties also has repercussions on the interests of the United States, since it seeks to build a “more stable” region. prosperous and integrated, with lower risks of new conflicts”.

For this reason, he thanked the parties for the negotiations and assured that Washington “persists” in diplomacy. “I want to thank our diplomats and everyone in the United States, in the administration past and present, who have worked tirelessly on this bipartisan issue over the years,” she concluded.

The parties have reached an agreement after receiving the latest proposal from the US mediator, Amos Hochstein. Thus, Lapid has recognized that the agreement is “a historic achievement that will strengthen Israel’s security, generate billions of dollars for Israel’s economy and guarantee stability on the northern border.”

For his part, the vice president of the Lebanese Parliament, Elias abu Saab, stated that “Lebanon has obtained its demands, because they were correct”, and confirmed that it has delivered Hochstein’s proposal to the country’s president, Michel Aoun.

Although the details have not been fully disclosed, diplomats familiar with the matter have stated that the pact recognizes the border set by Israel with buoys, allowing Lebanon to enjoy the exploitation of the area north of Line 23, including the Qana field. . Israel would retain control of Karish and has said it could start work in the area, amid threats from the Lebanese Shiite militia party Hezbollah.

Israel and Lebanon — which are technically at war and do not maintain diplomatic relations — began a process of indirect talks in October 2020, mediated by the United States and held under the auspices of the United Nations at the headquarters of the international organization. in the Lebanese city of Naqura.

The negotiations revolve around an area of ​​860 square kilometers that, according to both countries, is located in their respective Exclusive Economic Zones, a matter of special importance after the discovery of gas reserves in this area that both Israel and Lebanon hope to be able to exploit. .