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Israel's energy minister confirmed that two sides would hold US-mediated talks.
By TOVAH LAZAROFF, OMRI NAHMIAS
OCTOBER 1, 2020 20:08
Israel-Lebanon border
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
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For the first time in 30 years, Israel and Lebanonwill hold direct negotiations on the resolution of their maritime border dispute.
The talks between the two otherwise hostile countries, with no diplomatic ties, will be mediated by the US and hosted by the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL).
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Those negotiations over an 860 square kilometer area of the Mediterranean Sea near Israel's natural gas fields are scheduled to begin the week of October 12, in the southern Lebanese city of Naquora, near the country’s border with Israel at Rosh Hanikra.
Formal news of the pending negotiations is viewed as the latest Middle East success for the Trump administration, with regard to Israel's relations with its neighbors. It comes in the aftermath of two US brokered normalization deals between Israel and the Arab countries of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
“Today’s announcement is a vital step forward that serves the interests of Lebanon and Israel, of the region, and of the United States,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said. “Both countries requested that the United States participate as mediator and facilitator in the maritime discussions,” he added.
“This historic agreement between the two parties was brokered by the United States and is the result of nearly three years of intense diplomatic engagement by Ambassador David Satterfield and Assistant Secretary [of State for Near East Affairs] David Schenker,” Pompeo said.
“The United States also looks forward to separate expert-level talks to define unresolved issues related to the Blue Line [the Israeli-Lebanese land border], which offer the promise of another positive step for regional stability," he said.
Both Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, who will represent Israel in the talks, thanked the US, noting that such a breakthrough would not have occurred without its efforts.
“We look forward to the opening of direct negotiations in the near future. Our objective is to end the dispute over the economic maritime demarcation of the water between Israel and Lebanon, in order to help develop natural resources for the benefit of all peoples in the region,” Steinitz said.
The final breakthrough in the process came in the aftermath of a recent visit to the region by Schenker, he said. Initial news of the pending talks was reported by the media last week, including by The Jerusalem Post.
In Lebanon politicians were more cautious.
"This is a framework agreement, not a final one," Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told reporters, adding that Washington would push for an agreement soon as possible.
Berri, a Hezbollah ally and influential Shi'ite leader in charge of the border file.
A Lebanese official source suggested Berri was prompted to make the announcement now because of the economic crisis and U.S. sanctions imposed last month on his right-hand man, Ali Hassan Khalil. A Western diplomat echoed this.
Berri denied being swayed. "I, Berri, cannot be softened by force," he told reporters.
The announcement of the talks comes as Lebanon faces its worst crisis since its 1975-1990 civil war. The country's financial meltdown was compounded by a massive port explosion that wrecked a swathe of Beirut in August, killing nearly 200 people.
Resolution of the dispute would have positive economic benefits for Lebanon. In 2018, Beirut licensed a group of Italy's Eni, France's Total and Russia's Novatek to carry out Lebanon's first offshore energy exploration in two blocks. One of them, Block 9, contains waters disputed with Israel.
But the talks, according Schenker has not provided sanctions relief for Lebanese officials all with Hezbollah or engaged in corruption. Schenker told reporters that further sanctions remained in play even after Israel and Lebanon announced earlier on Thursday they had agreed on a framework for the coming negotiations.
“We note that this is a framework to begin discussions. Is not the actual agreement upon delineation of the maritime boundary or upon the sharing of potential resources that will be the subject of the discussions that will take place between the two sides.” Said Schenker said. He will represent the US in the first round of talks.
“But that said, we encourage both sides to take advantage of this opportunity to reach a mutually beneficial agreement,” Schenker said.
www.jpost.com
By TOVAH LAZAROFF, OMRI NAHMIAS
OCTOBER 1, 2020 20:08
Israel-Lebanon border
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Advertisement
For the first time in 30 years, Israel and Lebanonwill hold direct negotiations on the resolution of their maritime border dispute.
The talks between the two otherwise hostile countries, with no diplomatic ties, will be mediated by the US and hosted by the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL).
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Those negotiations over an 860 square kilometer area of the Mediterranean Sea near Israel's natural gas fields are scheduled to begin the week of October 12, in the southern Lebanese city of Naquora, near the country’s border with Israel at Rosh Hanikra.
Formal news of the pending negotiations is viewed as the latest Middle East success for the Trump administration, with regard to Israel's relations with its neighbors. It comes in the aftermath of two US brokered normalization deals between Israel and the Arab countries of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
“Today’s announcement is a vital step forward that serves the interests of Lebanon and Israel, of the region, and of the United States,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said. “Both countries requested that the United States participate as mediator and facilitator in the maritime discussions,” he added.
“This historic agreement between the two parties was brokered by the United States and is the result of nearly three years of intense diplomatic engagement by Ambassador David Satterfield and Assistant Secretary [of State for Near East Affairs] David Schenker,” Pompeo said.
“The United States also looks forward to separate expert-level talks to define unresolved issues related to the Blue Line [the Israeli-Lebanese land border], which offer the promise of another positive step for regional stability," he said.
Both Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, who will represent Israel in the talks, thanked the US, noting that such a breakthrough would not have occurred without its efforts.
“We look forward to the opening of direct negotiations in the near future. Our objective is to end the dispute over the economic maritime demarcation of the water between Israel and Lebanon, in order to help develop natural resources for the benefit of all peoples in the region,” Steinitz said.
The final breakthrough in the process came in the aftermath of a recent visit to the region by Schenker, he said. Initial news of the pending talks was reported by the media last week, including by The Jerusalem Post.
In Lebanon politicians were more cautious.
"This is a framework agreement, not a final one," Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told reporters, adding that Washington would push for an agreement soon as possible.
Berri, a Hezbollah ally and influential Shi'ite leader in charge of the border file.
A Lebanese official source suggested Berri was prompted to make the announcement now because of the economic crisis and U.S. sanctions imposed last month on his right-hand man, Ali Hassan Khalil. A Western diplomat echoed this.
Berri denied being swayed. "I, Berri, cannot be softened by force," he told reporters.
The announcement of the talks comes as Lebanon faces its worst crisis since its 1975-1990 civil war. The country's financial meltdown was compounded by a massive port explosion that wrecked a swathe of Beirut in August, killing nearly 200 people.
Resolution of the dispute would have positive economic benefits for Lebanon. In 2018, Beirut licensed a group of Italy's Eni, France's Total and Russia's Novatek to carry out Lebanon's first offshore energy exploration in two blocks. One of them, Block 9, contains waters disputed with Israel.
But the talks, according Schenker has not provided sanctions relief for Lebanese officials all with Hezbollah or engaged in corruption. Schenker told reporters that further sanctions remained in play even after Israel and Lebanon announced earlier on Thursday they had agreed on a framework for the coming negotiations.
“We note that this is a framework to begin discussions. Is not the actual agreement upon delineation of the maritime boundary or upon the sharing of potential resources that will be the subject of the discussions that will take place between the two sides.” Said Schenker said. He will represent the US in the first round of talks.
“But that said, we encourage both sides to take advantage of this opportunity to reach a mutually beneficial agreement,” Schenker said.
First Israeli-Lebanese talks in 30 years to be held on maritime dispute
Israel's energy minister confirmed that two sides would hold US-mediated talks.
www.jpost.com
