Lebanon's President: TotalEnergies could help Lebanon in maritime demarcation with Israel

Deputy parliament speaker Elias Bou Saab said after a meeting with Aoun that Hochstein's visit "does not mean that it carries the final solution.

 A sign with the logo of French oil and gas company TotalEnergies is pictured at a petrol station in Nantes, France, June 30, 2022. (photo credit: REUTERS/STEPHANE MAHE/FILE PHOTO)
A sign with the logo of French oil and gas company TotalEnergies is pictured at a petrol station in Nantes, France, June 30, 2022.
(photo credit: REUTERS/STEPHANE MAHE/FILE PHOTO)

Lebanon's President Michel Aoun said on Tuesday that France-based oil and gas company, TotalEnergies, could help his country solve maritime demarcation issues with Israel, according to a post from the presidency office on Twitter.

Aoun would make "contacts to help in this regard, will increase communications this month," the office added.

Lebanon and Israel are locked in US-mediated negotiations to delineate a shared maritime border that would help determine which oil and gas resources belong to which country and pave the way for more exploration.

Who is the mediator?

Amos Hochstein, the US diplomat mediating the talks, will be in Beirut at the end of the week to follow up on discussions with the Lebanese side.

 President & CEO of Saudi Aramco, Amin H. Nasser speaks next to Chairman of the Board & CEO of TotalEnergies, Patrick Pouyanne during the Saudi Green Initiative Forum to discuss efforts by the world's top oil exporter to tackle climate change in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 23, 2021. (credit: REUTERS/AHMED YOSRI)
President & CEO of Saudi Aramco, Amin H. Nasser speaks next to Chairman of the Board & CEO of TotalEnergies, Patrick Pouyanne during the Saudi Green Initiative Forum to discuss efforts by the world's top oil exporter to tackle climate change in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 23, 2021. (credit: REUTERS/AHMED YOSRI)

Deputy parliament speaker Elias Bou Saab said after a meeting with Aoun that Hochstein's visit "does not mean that it carries the final solution, but it is an additional positive step towards the solution," the presidential office said.

"Hochstein's visit does not mean that it carries the final solution, but it is an additional positive step towards the solution."

Elias Bou Saab