BEIRUT (Archyde.com) – A senior Lebanese security official said on Tuesday that talks to demarcate the maritime border between Lebanon and Israel, which could help distribute oil and gas resources, are nearing completion after nearly two years of negotiations.
“We are talking about weeks, even days, to finalize the demarcation file,” the Director-General of Lebanon’s General Security, Major General Abbas Ibrahim, told the local Al-Jadeed TV channel. I tend to be positive.”
Lebanon and Israel are conducting US-brokered negotiations to demarcate the common maritime border, which would help determine the oil and gas resources of each country and pave the way for further exploration.
Ibrahim attended meetings last week with US mediator Amos Hochstein, who said his hours-long visit to Beirut on Sept. 9 showed him that the talks were making “very good progress”.
According to Israeli and Lebanese officials, an Israeli proposal would allow Lebanon to develop gas reserves in a disputed area in exchange for agreeing to a demarcation line to the north.
A political source familiar with the talks said Lebanese officials had requested a written copy of the proposal before submitting a final response.