Upon his arrival in Lebanon, the mediator visited Energy Minister Walid Fayyad and discussed this issue with him. After the meeting, Fayyad announced that he had discussed with Hochstein the signing of agreements to draw electricity to Lebanon from Jordan and Egypt. It was reported that the American official confirmed his country’s support for Lebanon to obtain gas from Egypt and electricity from Jordan, and insisted that Lebanon sign with Egypt, which will happen during this week and at the latest next Sunday, according to the data. Hochstein confirmed that “if the agreement is signed, it will prepare and complete the letter of guarantees that exempts the Egyptian side from Caesar’s Law, and the United States will pressure the World Bank to secure funding for Lebanon to buy gas.” Hochstein promised the Minister of Energy “to intervene with the Iraqi side to renew the contract with Lebanon.”
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, denied yesterday, “there is any connection between the negotiations on the demarcation of the borders and the issue of gas and electricity from Egypt and Jordan, or negotiations with the International Monetary Fund,” but informed diplomatic sources tell Al-Central that Hochstein’s discussion of the two files at the same time is not A coincidence, and it does not happen only because the man is concerned with energy issues in his country, but this coincidence is intentional. Washington, which knows that Lebanon is mired in darkness and floundering in its own darkness, without finding a way out of this tunnel for months, is trying to lure and coax Beirut, by reminding it of the ability of the White House to play a decisive and decisive role in this matter. In order for Lebanon to win the American support that it needs to move the wheels of gas extraction from Egypt and Jordan, all it has to do is respond to the demarcation negotiations and facilitate the American mediation in this regard. In a clearer sense, the sources continue, the signing of Caesar’s exemptions will be an American gift to Lebanon if the Hochstein talks succeed, but if they fail and Lebanon does not respond to them, the confusion will remain, and Lebanon will be without electricity as well.
Until now, everything indicates that the agreement will be completed and that Hochstein’s mission will succeed.. Will the train out of darkness be put on the tracks, or can Washington return and impose other conditions, such as forming a government and implementing actual reforms, for example?!