BEIRUT, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Michel Aoun asked, during his talks on Thursday with U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale, for help by international experts to demarcate the maritime borders between Lebanon and Israel.
According to a statement issued by Lebanon's presidency, Aoun emphasized the importance of resuming negotiations on maritime borders demarcation between Lebanon and Israel while urging the United States to be a fair and transparent mediator in these talks.
Hale told reporters, following his meeting with Aoun, that "America stands ready to facilitate negotiations on the maritime borders demarcation between Lebanon and Israel on the basis on which these negotiations were initiated in the first place."
He stressed that these negotiations can be very helpful for Lebanon's economy which has been suffering from an unprecedented crisis.
"If necessary, international experts could be brought in to help inform us all," Hale said.
Lebanon and Israel had embarked on negotiations over maritime borders demarcation in a disputed area of about 860 square km. The Lebanese government recently signed a document that will formally lay claim to an additional 1,430 square km on top of the Exclusive Economic Zone in disputed waters in the Mediterranean.
Indirect negotiations between Lebanon and Israel to demarcate the maritime borders kicked off on Oct. 14, 2020, mediated by the United States and sponsored by the United Nations, at the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in Naqoura, south of Lebanon.
Demarcation negotiations were later suspended. Enditem
