Israel has agreed to discuss disputed borders with Lebanon, US says

A top US envoy has said Israel agreed to discuss disputed land and sea borders with Lebanon, which is eyeing hydrocarbon exploration off its coast, two Lebanese officials say.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry does not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP.

Last year, Lebanon signed its first contract to drill for oil and gas in its waters, including for a block disputed by Israel, with which it has fought several wars.

The US State Department’s acting assistant secretary for Near Eastern affairs, David Satterfield, held a meeting in Beirut yesterday on his second visit in a week.

A maritime map of the eastern Mediterranean showing Exclusive Economic Zone borders, including an area of dispute (marked 4) between Israel and Lebanon. Source: IEMed Mediterranean Yearbook 2012 (www.iemed.org/medyearbook)

Satterfield “told officials Israel had agreed to hold negotiations to draw up the maritime border” with Lebanon, an official source who attended the meeting tells AFP.

The Jewish state also agreed to discuss the territorial frontier between the two countries, including several disputed areas, the source says.

A delegation from each side will take part in talks at the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping force in south Lebanon, UNIFIL, but the latter will not be a party to the talks, he adds.

Another source familiar with the plan says negotiations will begin soon.

“There has been positive progress overall, and the issue is down to the last details before the start of the negotiations,” they say.

— AFP