Lebanese President Michel Aoun informed the United Nations Special Coordinator in Beirut, Yoanna Wronitzka, of his country's desire to resume indirect negotiations with Israel to demarcate Lebanon's southern maritime borders, stressing his refusal to sign Israel contracts to assess gas exploration.
Aoun said that Lebanon objected to the United Nations against Israel's signing of contracts to evaluate gas exploration in the disputed area, considering that the matter contradicts the path of indirect negotiations between the two parties.
Aoun called for freezing these actions in the disputed areas, pending the resolution of the unconditional negotiation path, stressing that his country is committed to implementing Resolution 1701 and upholding its rights to its waters and natural resources, and the desire to resume indirect negotiations (with Israel) to demarcate the southern maritime border.
Resolution 1701, adopted by the UN Security Council in August 2006, to stop all hostilities between Lebanon and Israel, after a war between the latter and Hezbollah that lasted 33 days.
And last week, Israel awarded the American company "Halliburton" a contract to carry out evaluations for oil and gas exploration in the disputed area with Lebanon.
In October 2020, the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, announced a framework agreement to negotiate the demarcation of the southern border of his country under the auspices and under the banner of the United Nations.
The first round of indirect negotiations to demarcate the maritime border between Lebanon and Israel, mediated by the United States and under the auspices of the United Nations, was launched on October 14, 2020, given that the area of the disputed area specified is about 860 square kilometers.