U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday regretted a stalemate in talks on maritime borders between Israel and Lebanon and offered Washington reflection.
The two countries still technically at war opened talks in October after silent U.S. diplomacy, trying to pave the way for an offshore oil and gas exploration that the two wanted.
DA peacekeepers patrol the coastal road near Naqura, Lebanon’s last pre-Israeli city
(Photo: AFP)
“Sadly, despite goodwill on both sides, the parties are still far apart,” said Pompeo, who has a month left in office after the loss of U.S. President Donald Trump’s election.
“The United States remains ready to mediate constructive talks and urges all sides to compromise in accordance with the maritime bids previously deposited by the United Nations.
“The Trump administration has shown great progress in its turbulent days in Israeli relations with the Arab world.
Since October, four Arab countries have agreed to recognize the Jewish state.
UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis, U.S. Deputy Secretary-General David Schenker, U.S. Ambassador to Algeria John Desrocher, and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea at the first round of Israeli-Lebanon border talks in Naqura
(Photo: AFP / US Ambassador)
The latest session of talks between Israel and Lebanon has been postponed after the Jewish state accused its neighbor of inconsistency.
The two countries have been negotiating based on a map recorded by the United Nations in 2011, which shows an 860-square-kilometer (330-square-mile) stretch of land as a dispute.
But Lebanon believes that map was based on erroneous estimates and now calls for 1,430 square kilometers (552 square miles) of sea further south, which includes part of the Karish gas field Israel, according to Lebanese energy expert Laury Haytayan.