Sunday, December 22, 2013

Lebanon slams Israel's intent to demarcate maritime border


BEIRUT, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour warned Saturday that Israel's unilateral decision to demarcate the maritime border (EEZ)with Lebanon would threaten stability in the region.

Mansour said in a statement "this is a very dangerous decision if adopted by Israel, and it threatens stability, security and peace in the region.

He said that this action by Israel does not produce any legal obligations for Lebanon.
He explained "Israel's step does not produce any legal obligations for Lebanon as if it never happened," considering it a violation of international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

He said "article 74 of the corresponding law stipulates that the accord on demarcation of adjacent and facing economic zones (EEZ) is based on International Law, just as article 38 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice says."

The caretaker minister urged Lebanese factions to fill the vacuum in the state's institutions in order for Lebanon to assume its national responsibility and face "Israel's new violation" with all legal means.

He added "Israel is held fully responsible for all consequences that such a step might produce."

Israel said it is seeking to demarcate the maritime border (EEZ) in the area disputed with Lebanon through a draft law that will be proposed at the Knesset.

Lebanon and Israel are bickering over a maritime zone (EEZ) that consists of about 854 square kilometers, which boasts suspected energy reserves worth billions of dollars.
 http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-12/22/c_132986303.htm
22/12/13
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1 comment :

  1. Israel: Gas, Oil and Trouble in the Levant....

    Israel is set to become a major exporter of gas and some oil, if all goes to plan. The giant Leviathan natural gas field, in the eastern Mediterranean, discovered in December 2010, is widely described as "off the coast of Israel."

    Felicity Arbuthnot

    At the time the gas field was: " ... the most prominent field ever found in the sub-explored area of the Levantine Basin, which covers about 83,000 square kilometres of the eastern Mediterranean region." (i)

    Coupled with Tamar field, in the same location, discovered in 2009, the prospects are for an energy bonanza for Israel, for Houston, Texas based Noble Energy and partners Delek Drilling, Avner Oil Exploration and Ratio Oil Exploration.

    Also involved is Perth, Australia-based Woodside Petroleum, which has signed a memorandum of understanding for a thirty percent stake in the project, in negotiations which have been described as "up and down." There is currently speculation that Woodside might pull out of the deal: " ...since the original plans to refrigerate the gas for export were pursued when relations between Israel and Turkey were strained. That has changed, more recently, which has opened the door for gas to be piped to Turkey."

    The spoils of the Leviathan field has already expanded from an estimated 16.7 trillion cubic feet (tcf ) of gas to nineteen trillion - and counting:

    "We've discovered nearly 40 tcf of gas, and we have roughly 19 tcf of that gas that's available for export to both regional and extra-regional markets. We see exports reaching 2 billion cubic feet a day in capacity in the next decade. And we continue to explore.", stated Noble Vice Chairman Keith Elliot (ii) There are also estimated to be possibly six hundred million barrels of oil, according to Michael Economides of energytribune.com ("Eastern Mediterranean Energy - the next Great Game.")

    Woodside Petroleum might also be hesitant to become involved in further disputes, since they are already embroiled, with the Australian government, in a protracted one in East Timor relating to the bonanaza of energy and minerals beneath the Timor Sea, which has even led to East Timor accusing Australia "of bugging East Timorese officials during the negotiations over the agreement."(iii)................http://english.pravda.ru/world/asia/29-12-2013/126507-israel_gas-0/
    29/12/13

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