Les négociations entre le Liban et Israël pour la délimitation des zones économiques maritimes exclusives se sont ouvertes à 10h30 à Nakoura en présence du médiateur américain David Schenker arrivé hier soir à Beyrouth et du représentant de l’ONU au Liban Jan Kubis.
Hier soir, l’Armée Libanaise et la FINUL ont ainsi renforcé les mesures de sécurité aux alentours de Nakoura.
Pour rappel, la délégation libanaise a été composée par la présidence de la république. Elle comprend 4 personnes, dont le général de l’Armée de l’Air, Bassam Yassine qui la préside, le colonel Mazen Basbous de la marine libanaise, le membre du conseil d’administration de l’autorité pétrolière libanaise Wissam Chbat et de l’expert en droit maritime Najib Massihi.
La composition de cette délégation a cependant fait l’objet de critiques de la part d’une part du premier ministre sortant Hassan Diab et des mouvement Amal et Hezbollah, qui estiment qu’elle doit comprendre des militaires et non des civils et qui demandent de former une nouvelle délégation.
Quant à la Présidence de la République, elle rappelle que la négociation d’un traité international ou encore d’un accord de paix revient à ses prérogatives, le chef de l’état étant par ailleurs Commandant des Forces Armées. Les négociations devraient être exclusivement techniques, indiquent des sources proches de la présidence.
Contrairement aux négociations précédentes entre les 2 pays qui s’étaient tenues pour tenter de régler la démarcation de la ligne bleue suite au retrait israélien de 2000, les 2 délégations seront réunies face-à-face dans une salle commune. Il s’agirait du hall du contingent italien.
Si le dossier terrestre ne devrait pas être abordé lors du processus actuel, le déblocage du dossier de la zone économique exclusive pourrait permettre aux 2 pays de pouvoir exploiter les ressources pétrolières ou gazières supposées être présentes.
Les autorités israéliennes estiment également que l’aboutissement de ces négociations pourraient stabiliser la région au bénéfice des citoyens libanais et israéliens.
Impacté par une grave crise économique, le Liban notamment attend que ces négociations puissent débloquer la possibilité d’explorer la zone, chose acceptée y compris par le Hezbollah aujourd’hui. Cependant, Beyrouth indique que négocier ne signifie pas reconnaitre.
Focus: The delimitation of the economic zone between Lebanon and Israel
As a reminder, at the origin of this problem, the negotiations between Lebanon and Cyprus in 2011. The starting point of the zone was set arbitrarily by the 2 countries at point 1 of the borders.
Therefore, the Hebrew State has decided to continue the delimitation of its maritime borders at point 25 according to its measures which corresponds to point 1 for Lebanon.
However, Lebanon estimated from the start that the starting point of its economic exclusivity zone was at point 0, according to Beirut or 23, according to the Hebrew state and located 17 km south of point 1, fixed during negotiations. between Tel Aviv and Nicosia.
Thus is delimited a triangle going from point B1 located at Ras al Naqoura to point 0 then to point 1.
This area is claimed by the 2 states, Lebanon and Israel. It thus covers more than 800 square kilometers. Part of blocks 8, 9 and 10 are thus at the center of the controversy.
The situation was worsened by the discovery of a significant potential of gas and oil deposits in this area.
Lebanon says it has maps proving that the area belongs to it.
In addition, the Hoff line named after the American mediator who had already taken up the case in 2011 and which Beirut had already rejected, grants 560 square kilometers to Lebanon and the remainder to Tel Aviv.
In 2019, when negotiations looked like they could be relaunched between Lebanon and Israel, they came to a screeching halt for reasons hitherto unknown. The tension between the 2 countries has also increased with the discovery of tunnels crossing the blue line, the dividing line between the 2 countries.
On October 14, 2020, negotiations between Lebanon and Israel opened at UNIFIL HQ in Naqoura and in the presence of the American mediator, the United States Under Secretary of State, David Schenker, and under the auspices of the coordinator UN Special in Lebanon Jan Kubis.
Tel Aviv, announcing the existence of 2 islets in its territory – uninhabited islets – located not far from the Israeli coast would also have also extended its claims on the Lebanese blocs.
During the 3rd round of negotiations which took place on October 28, Lebanon thus hardened its position and informed the Israeli delegation about its new demands, expanding the exclusive maritime zone to 1,430 additional square kilometers to the detriment of Israel, by extending the land border with a straight line. This zone would include several gas fields already discovered and allocated by Israel to a Greek exploitation company. These Lebanese demands should therefore freeze the exploitation of these fields until an agreement is reached.
It is for Lebanon not to make any concessions on its maritime areas when Israel previously claimed part of them, note some sources, who expected that an agreement could be reached before the end of the year, granting all the original area to Lebanon.
In addition, on April 5, 2021, it is indicated that negotiations between the 2 countries could resume after the publication of a report stating the possible existence of a large gas field in the area even if this remains theoretical for the moment.
Indeed, for the moment, no progress has been noted on this subject, and no meeting is currently officially scheduled.
In addition, decree 6,433 was signed by the ministers of transport Michel Najjar, of defense Zeina Akkar and the outgoing Prime Minister Hassan Diab, in April 2021, while the President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun has decided to suspend his signature pending the government meeting, which the Prime Minister refuses.
This decree formalizes the Lebanese position of enlarging its exclusive economic zone while on the Israeli side, we are preparing to launch an exploratory campaign in the zone.
