Lebanon to demarcate borders with Greek Cypriot administration after finalizing with Syria

By Wassim Seif El Din

BEIRUT (AA) – Lebanon said on Friday it will start to demarcate the maritime borders with the Greek Cypriot administration after finalizing demarcation with Syria.

Deputy Parliament Speaker Elias Bou Saab announced it after a meeting between Lebanon's President Michel Aoun and a delegation from the Greek Cypriot side who traveled to Lebanon to discuss the issue of maritime borders.

Saab said the meeting discussed the unresolved issues between the sides on the maritime border, especially the demarcation of the northern maritime borders, adding that these issues will be pending until the demarcation with Syria is finalized.

On Jan. 17, 2007, Lebanon and the Greek Cypriot administration signed an agreement on the delimitation of their exclusive economic zones to strengthen good neighborhood and invest in fuel resources.

Lebanon, however, accused the Greek Cypriot administration of ignoring the agreement after signing a maritime deal with Israel on the delimitation of their exclusive economic zones in 2011, which caused an 860-square-kilometer (332-square-mile) loss in Lebanon's exclusive economic zone.

On Thursday, Lebanon and Israel, through US mediation, finalized the demarcation of their maritime borders.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar