Lebanese authorities asked to immediately start geological exploration on the shelf

CAIRO, Oct 11 – PRIME. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati asked the oil and gas company TotalEnergies to immediately start exploration on the country’s shelf, the press service of the Lebanese Cabinet reported.

Mikati met on Tuesday with a delegation from a French company and about. Energy Minister Waleed Fayyad.

“Mikati asked representatives of TotalEnergies to immediately start exploration in Lebanese territorial waters,” the report received by RIA Novosti reported.

According to Fayyad, the company takes this issue seriously, thanks to its activities, Lebanon can join the list of oil-producing countries.

Lebanon is satisfied with the draft agreement on the demarcation of maritime borders with Israel and believes that all of its requirements have been taken into account, the Office of the President of the country said earlier.

On Monday, the al-Araby TV channel, citing official sources, reported that an agreement on the demarcation of the borders between Lebanon and Israel could be signed on October 20 in the Lebanese village of Naqoura.

Israel has reached a historic agreement with Lebanon on the demarcation of maritime borders, Jewish Prime Minister Yair Lapid said earlier, and the agreement will be submitted to the government for approval in the near future.

Israel in June urged the Lebanese authorities to expedite negotiations on the maritime border, called the Karish field its strategic asset and assured that it did not intend to produce gas in the disputed territory.

Land and sea border talks between Lebanon and Israel have been going on in the settlement of Naqoura in southern Lebanon since 1996 on the basis of a memorandum of understanding under the auspices of the United Nations and mediated by the United States.