Lebanese President confirms agreement with Israel on common maritime border

The agreement, according to Aoun, does not yield “any kilometer to Israel” and does not imply a “normalization” of relations

Oct. 13 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The president of Lebanon, Michel Aoun, confirmed this Thursday in a speech to the nation that Beirut has approved the agreement reached on Tuesday with the Israeli authorities to demarcate their common maritime border, a pact that he has called “historic”.

“This indirect agreement responds to Lebanese demands and preserves our rights in their entirety,” Aoun assured after accepting the conditions set by the latest proposal by the US mediator, Amos Hochstein.

Thus, he stressed that this pact between the two nations, which he described as a “historic achievement”, has stipulated “how to resolve any dispute in the future”, while ensuring that the country’s land borders “have not been touched”.

Aoun explained that Lebanon has preserved “an area of ​​860 square kilometers” without giving up “any kilometer to Israel.” “No normalization was reached with Israel, nor were direct talks or agreements concluded,” she added, according to the Lebanon 24 news portal.

The day before, the Israeli government also approved the provisions of the agreement with an “overwhelming majority”, as announced in a statement, in which it assured that it would appear before Parliament to give it a definitive ‘yes’.

The pact recognizes the border set with buoys by Israel, 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. .