The Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, said Tuesday that his meeting with the US mediator Amos Hochstein focused on the file of demarcating Lebanon's southern maritime borders.

After receiving Hochstein and US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea, Berri affirmed that what Lebanese President Michel Aoun informed Hochstein of on the issue of maritime borders and Lebanon's rights to invest its oil wealth is agreed upon by all the Lebanese.

Berri stressed that “The framework agreement remains the best mechanism for indirect negotiations based on its texts, which call for maintaining meetings until reaching the desired results, which in turn would lead to demarcating the border without infringing on Lebanon’s right to drilling."

Berri: Lebanon is “keen on extracting its resources"

He also considered that “What’s happening now violates the agreement from one side and also deprives Lebanon of its rights, at a time the Israeli entity is allowed to extract and aggress, which jeopardizes peace in the region and aggravates the situations."

The Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament affirmed that Lebanon is “keen on extracting its resources, it is also keen on preserving stability.”

Aoun presents new proposal to Hochstein

Earlier, the Lebanese President Michel Aoun received the US mediator Amos Hochstein as part of the indirect negotiations to demarcate the southern maritime border.

The meeting took place in the presence of the US Ambassador to Beirut Dorothy Shea.

According to Al Mayadeen correspondent, Aoun informed Hochstein of Lebanon's official position regarding the demarcation of the maritime borders and stressed Lebanon's sovereign rights to water and natural resources.

Lebanon will demand preservation of entire Qana field

Our correspondent pointed out that according to the information, Lebanon will demand the preservation of the entire Qana field, and thus adherence to all the oil wealth, even beyond the 23rd line, meaning the entire Qana field is within the exclusive economic zone of Lebanon and rejecting the line previously drawn up by Hochstein in February, cutting off parts of Block no. 8.

Our correspondent stated that "the Lebanese President responded orally to Hochstein's previous offer and presented a new proposal," adding that "President Aoun requested prompt answers through Hochstein from the other side, that is, from Tel Aviv."

Hochstein informed of unified Lebanese position

Additionally, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati met with the American mediator in the presence of the American Ambassador, where Hochstein was informed of the unified Lebanese position on the issue of border demarcation and adherence to the continued American mediation.

The Lebanese government announced that the US mediator in the maritime border demarcation negotiations with "Israel" had given a unified position on the issue of demarcation, stressing that Lebanon's interest requires starting the process of oil exploration without giving up the country's wealth.

The government affirmed that "Lebanon's supreme interest requires starting the process of oil exploration without giving up Lebanon's right to all its wealth."