Lebanon agrees to US-led talks over disputed offshore area with Israel

Nicosia — Beirut is to enter discussions with Israel to determine a maritime border along an 854 sq km wedge of offshore territory that both claim as part of their exclusive economic zones (EEZs), Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri said Sept. 1.

The discussions would be the first diplomatic contact in decades between two countries that are technically at war.

Berri, who leads Lebanon's Shia Muslim Amal Movement, said a framework agreement had been reached to discuss the disputed offshore area, which overlaps three of Lebanon's energy exploration blocks, one of which, Block 9, has been licensed to a Total-led drilling group including Eni and Russia's Novatek.

The indirect negotiations are set to open on Oct. 14 at the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) headquarters at Naquoura in southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese army is to lead Beirut's side of the negotiations and speak to Israel through UN and US officials.

Israel welcomed the coming talks. Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, who last month signed the official documents for the Cairo-led, seven-member, East Mediterranean Gas Forum, said: "Our goal is to bring to an end the dispute over the demarcation of economic waters between Israel and Lebanon, in order to assist the development of natural resources for the benefit of all peoples in the region."

The US has been asked to serve as mediator and facilitator, Berri said.

Lebanon's current situation regarding its highly indebted economy and the consequences of the Aug. 4 explosion of ammonium nitrate at Beirut's port is the likely impetus behind Lebanon's agreement to talks.

Berri said the US "intends to exert its utmost efforts to establish a positive and constructive atmosphere between the two parties...to conclude the negotiations as soon as possible," Naharnet news reported. "The demarcation will help Lebanon economically," he added, saying that France's Total had "promised to begin exploration operations before the end of the year."

Total, Eni and Novatek were awarded Lebanon's first offshore exploration licenses in 2018 for Blocks 4 and 9 in the East Mediterranean.

The group launched and completed its first well in the Lebanon EEZ at the start of 2020 but in April reported that it had failed to make a commercial discovery.

The southern edges of Lebanon's Block 8, 9 and 10 extend into the disputed area. Total, which has suspended work in the region due to the coronavirus pandemic, has said it would avoid drilling in the area.

Total had initially said it would begin drilling in Block 9 before the end of 2020. If the talks succeed Total and partners may meet that schedule, and Lebanon will be able to award Blocks 8 and 10 without risking further dispute with Israel on the matter.