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Lebanon’s Aoun Urges Del Col to Correct Blue Line

Lebanon’s Aoun Urges Del Col to Correct Blue Line
folder_openMiddle East... access_time3 years ago
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By Staff, Agencies

Lebanese President Michel Aoun urged the correction of the UN-demarcated Blue Line in a meeting with UNIFIL's head of mission Maj. Gen. Stefano Del Col Thursday.

Aoun stressed the necessity of correcting the line separating Lebanon and the “Israeli” entity so that it conforms to the internationally recognized land borders, local media reported.

Lebanon is currently in the middle of ongoing indirect negotiations with the entity to delineate the maritime border.

Lebanon's mixed civilian-military delegation, headed by Navy Col. Mazen Basbous, has been directed by the Lebanese Army commander to push for an additional 1,430 square kilometers to be included in Lebanese territory. This is on top of the already disputed 860 square kilometer area that both sides say is in their respective Exclusive Economic Zone and brings what is now an “Israeli” gas field into disputed territory.

Aoun in the meeting expressed his hope that the ongoing negotiations to demarcate the maritime borders would be fruitful and that Lebanon “will restore all its rights based on international law.”

Aoun told Del Col that “the demarcation of the maritime border is based on the line that starts overland from the Ras Naqoura point in south Lebanon, according to the general principle known as the median line, without taking into account any impact on the occupied Palestinian coastal islands,” a presidency statement said.

The “Israeli” entity and Lebanon completed the latest round of indirect negotiations, mediated by the US, in early November.

Del Col affirmed that “we are satisfied with the ongoing negotiations to demarcate the southern maritime borders," the statement said.

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