BEIRUT (Dispatches) – Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Monday called on the United States to activate its mediation in the indirect maritime demarcation negotiations between Lebanon and the Zionist regme.
“It is not acceptable to delay the process of demarcating the southern maritime areas,” Aoun was quoted as saying in a statement released by Lebanon’s Presidency.
Aoun stressed the need to activate the American mediation carried out by U.S. Energy Envoy Amos Hochstein to reach a quick conclusion, which he believed would “enable Lebanon to benefit from oil and gas in its water while maintaining stability on its borders.”
Aoun made the remarks during his meeting with President and CEO of the American Task Force on Lebanon Edward Gabriel to discuss the latest political and economic affairs in the country.
Lebanon and the Zionist regime took part in indirect talks to discuss demarcation in 2020. But the talks stalled after Lebanon demanded a larger area, including part of the Karish gas field, where the occupying regime has given exploration rights to a Greek firm.
The talks were supposed to discuss a Lebanese demand for 860 sq km (330 square miles) of territory in the disputed maritime area, according to a map sent to the United Nations in 2011. However, Lebanon then said the map was based on erroneous calculations and demanded 1,430 square kilometers (552 square miles) more further south, including part of Karish.
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, secretary-general of Hezbollah, has said the resistance will not remain “silent” in the face of the Zionist regime’s efforts to plunder Lebanon’s gas resources.