Mikati: Position of 3 presidents on border demarcation unified

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen Net
3 Oct 2022 16:52

Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and government caretaker Najib Mikati discuss the file of maritime border demarcation.

Lebanese caretaker government, Najib Mikati

Lebanese government caretaker, Najib Mikati, affirmed Monday that the three presidents' stances are unified, clarifying that they will send initial remarks to the American proposal regarding the border demarcation.

During a tripartite meeting in Baabda, Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Mikati discussed the file of maritime border demarcation, as the technical and advisory team joined the meeting.

Responding to a question upon his arrival in Baabda on whether the atmosphere was positive or negative, Berri hoped that things were positive.

The Lebanese presidency also reported that Aoun met with Berri and Mikati to discuss the written offer of the American mediator, Amos Hochstein, regarding the demarcation of the southern maritime border.

In a related context, Israeli media reported that the head of the indirect negotiations team with Lebanon, Ehud Adiri, submitted his resignation, indicating that people in the Prime Minister's office said that Adiri left his position since Eyal Hulata, the head of the National Security Council, is, in fact, the one who actually manages communications.

The media quoted sources as saying that Adiri was only interested in energy and did not know the security and political aspect of the agreement with Lebanon, which the Israeli occupation government is legally studying and discussing its final details.

The Israeli media revealed that those around Adiri claim that he resigned due to his opposition to the agreement with Lebanon.

It is noteworthy that Adiri has headed the Israeli occupation negotiating team for the indirect talks with Lebanon since the beginning of 2020.

Earlier, Deputy Speaker of the Lebanese parliament Elias Bou Saab told Al Mayadeen that "the atmosphere is very positive, and Lebanon has not renounced any part of its rights and will not pay compensation to the Israeli enemy," commenting on the maritime border demarcation issue with the Israeli occupation.

He added that, "Lebanon gained more than the other side ("Israel"), by their confession, regarding the draft agreement on the demarcation of the maritime borders," noting that, "Lebanon held an advanced position in the negotiations due to its unified position (political unity), the strength factor known to everyone, and the diplomacy that was backed by these two factors."

The Lebanese official added that Lebanon will propose amendments to the draft received from the American mediator, noting that "the devil lies in the details."

"The Lebanese response to the draft agreement will be sent within 24 or 48 hours," Bou Saab said.

He pointed out that there was "a fundamental disagreement two weeks ago that would have overthrown the agreement, but this disagreement dissipated during the recent visit to New York (UNGA sidelines), and if this disagreement had continued, Lebanon would have rejected this proposal," adding, "We went over a number of disputed articles, and we took the full time to resolve each of the differences separately."

Source to Al Mayadeen: Lebanon earned all its maritime borders rights

On Saturday, a Lebanese source concerned with the maritime border demarcation negotiations between Lebanon and "Israel" told Al Mayadeen that Lebanon obtained all its demands in the written response received by the US mediator Amos Hochstein.

"In the written proposal received by the Americans, Lebanon obtained all its demands," the source confirmed.

"Lebanon has not and will not give Israel any security zone it previously demanded," the source noted.

This comes after Lebanon received the written proposal from the US mediator Amos Hochstein through US Ambassador Dorothy Shea regarding the demarcation of maritime borders.

On his part, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, stressed in a speech that "the importance of what is happening today is there being a written text from the mediating party that the President, Parliament Speaker, and the Prime Minister have received."

"We are before decisive days in the demarcation issue, and the position of the heads of the state will be clarified, as well as where things are headed," the Hezbollah chief underlined.

"If the demarcation issue leads to a desired, good result, that will be due to unity, cooperation, and national solidarity," Sayyed Nasrallah added.

Meanwhile, Israeli media said that "Nasrallah, succeeded in the battle of awareness that involved negotiations to demarcate the Lebanese southern maritime borders."