Speaker Nabih Berri revealed that the demarcation of Lebanon's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Mediterranean was among the issues he discussed with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during his visit to the country last week, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Monday.
Berri told the daily that Ban was “receptive of an official Lebanese request that the U.N. demarcate the Lebanon's EEZ, which borders Israel.”
This was a major topic of discussion between Ban and Prime Minister Tammam Salam as well, added the speaker.
Ban had hailed the calm that has pervaded southern Lebanon in recent years, lauding the cooperation between the army and the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon.
Berri responded to this statement by saying that the whole of the country is calm given the turbulent situation in the region. He voiced fears however over the “danger” of failing to resolve the maritime border dispute with Israel.
“This may create another 'Shebaa Farms issue' that may threaten the current peace,” warned the speaker.
Efforts to resolve the dispute over the EEZ were also addressed away from the media spotlight during visits to Lebanon by Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs at the U.S. State Department Amos Hochstein, said al-Hayat.
The speaker had proposed the demarcation issue with U.S. Charge d'Affaires Richard Jones prior to holding talks with Ban on Thursday.
The U.N. chief paid a visit to Lebanon on Thursday and Friday where he met with Berri, Salam, Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, and the international peacekeeping force in the South. He also toured Palestinian and Syrian refugee encampments.
Al-Hayat reported that Berri had informed Ban that Salam will file an official request over the demarcation of the maritime border.
Official sources told the daily that the request will be based on articles in the U.N. Charter and others in Security Council resolution 1701. Lebanon's Ambassador to the U.N. Nawwaf Salam has written the memo.
Lebanese officials are confident that the available maps and documents on the maritime issue will favor Lebanon's cause and Hochstein is meanwhile expected to pay a visit to Lebanon at the end of April after receiving an Israeli stance on the border dispute, revealed al-Hayat.
Lebanon and Israel are at loggerheads over the 850 kilometers of territorial water that each claims as part of its EEZ.
Beirut argues that a maritime map it submitted to the U.N. is in line with an armistice accord drawn up in 1949, an agreement which is not contested by Israel.
In January, the leaders of Cyprus, Greece and Israel pledged to work together to seize opportunities emerging from newly found offshore gas reserves in order to bolster stability and security in a region wracked by conflict.
The leaders agreed to set up a tripartite committee to study the possibility of building a pipeline to carry natural gas found in waters off Israel and Cyprus to Europe via Greece.
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