President Michel Aoun chaired on Tuesday a meeting for the delegation tasked to negotiate the southern border demarcation. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and National Defense Minister, Mrs. Zeina Akar, and Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun.

President Aoun gave his instructions to the members of the negotiating delegation, and stressed that these negotiations are technical and specific to the demarcation of maritime borders, and that discussions should be limited to this specific issue. The President pointed out that the negotiation sessions are sponsored and hosted by the UN, and that the US presence in the meetings serves as a facilitating mediator for the process.

President Aoun also recommended the team members to adhere to and defend the internationally recognized Lebanese rights, wishing them success in their missions.

After the meeting, the presidency issued a statement which mentioned that President Aoun had given his directives to the technical delegation entrusted with the indirect negotiations based on the practical framework agreement/

“President Aoun stressed the negotiations related to the delimitation of maritime borders begin from the line that starts at the land point of Ras-el-Naqoura established by the Paulet-Newcombe agreement in 1923 and extends seaward, following the equidistance technique, without giving any effect to the coastal islands belonging to Occupied Palestine, pursuant to the study prepared by the Lebanese Army Command on the basis of the International Law.

Source: NNA