BEIRUT/NICOSIA: Lebanon and Cyprus signed a long-awaited maritime demarcation deal on Wednesday, paving the way for potential exploration of offshore gas fields and energy cooperation in the Mediterranean.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides signed the agreement at Lebanon’s presidential palace and told reporters it would signal deeper cooperation between Lebanon, European Union-member Cyprus and the broader EU.
“This is a historical agreement, concluding an issue pending for many years and now look forward to what our countries can jointly create,” Christodoulides said.
Cyprus and Lebanon had reached a preliminary deal mapping out their offshore maritime zones in 2007, but there were delays in its ratification by the Lebanese parliament.
Lebanese Energy Minister Joseph Saddi visited Cyprus last month to discuss energy cooperation, after the Lebanese cabinet endorsed a deal defining the two countries’ sea borders.
Lebanon and Israel delineated their maritime borders in 2022 under a US-brokered deal.
Wednesday’s deal leaves neighboring Syria as the final country with which Lebanon has yet to delineate its sea border.
Lebanon hopes offshore gas and oil discoveries could help generate state revenues and economic activity to reverse a 2019 financial collapse that worsened longstanding power shortages.
There have yet to be any commercially viable finds in any of Lebanon’s offshore blocks.
Lebanon, Cyprus sign maritime demarcation deal, paving way for possible energy exploration
https://arab.news/gzdnm
Lebanon, Cyprus sign maritime demarcation deal, paving way for possible energy exploration
- Lebanon hopes offshore gas and oil discoveries could help generate state revenues and economic activity to reverse a 2019 financial collapse that worsened longstanding power shortages
Putin thanks UAE’s president for Ukraine mediation efforts
- Russian president meets Emirati counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, in Moscow for talks spanning international affairs and bilateral trade
- Another round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine is due to take place in Abu Dhabi on Sunday
LONDON: Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked his counterpart from the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, on Thursday for his mediation efforts on the war in Ukraine.
As Russian and Ukrainian negotiators prepare for another round of peace talks, due to take place in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, the Emirati president met the Russian leader at the Kremlin during an official visit to Moscow.
Putin “expressed his appreciation to the UAE for hosting the trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States,” the Emirates News Agency reported.
Sheikh Mohammed said he was proud to have helped mediate prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine, and the UAE was ready to “assist all constructive efforts” regarding important humanitarian matters.
The leaders also discussed the latest developments in the Middle East. Regarding the conflict between Israel and Palestine, they said there was an “urgent need to intensify efforts to achieve a clear path towards a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution.”
Other topics included ways in which bilateral cooperation might be strengthened in areas such as trade, investment, technology, space and energy.
Russia and the UAE have moved to deepen ties in recent years. They signed two key trade and economic partnership agreements last summer.
