Historic breakthrough on Israel-Lebanon maritime boundary: Blinken
MENA , Wednesday 12 Oct 2022
Following years of mediation by the US, the governments of Israel and Lebanon announced consensus on an historic agreement to establish a permanent maritime boundary between the two countries, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a press release on Wednesday.
An Israeli military boat patrols Mediterranean waters around a border-marking buoy between the two coutries. AFP
This breakthrough promises to usher in a new era of prosperity and stability in the Middle East and will provide vital energy to the people of the region and to the world, he said.
Beyond delivering tremendous benefits to the Lebanese and Israeli people, today’s announcement demonstrates the power of regional cooperation to meet shared challenges in the Middle East and beyond. It also underscores the transformative power of American diplomacy, he added.
This agreement protects the economic and security interests of Israel and Lebanon and marks a new chapter for the people in the region, Blinken said.
He thanked the leaders of Israel and Lebanon for their willingness to negotiate in the best interests of their people and thanked Special Presidential Coordinator Amos Hochstein and his team for their tireless diplomatic work in bringing the parties together to accomplish this deal.
It is now critical that all parties rapidly finalize the agreement and uphold their commitments to work toward implementation to the benefit of the region and world, he added.
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