Lebanon today warned Israel against taking "unilateral steps" on the borders of its exclusive economic zone, as the dispute over the deepwater natural gas reserves threatens to boil over.
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman warned against unilateral steps of "the kind that Israel commonly makes in violation of international law." He added that the new Lebanese government would discuss the issue.
Yesterday, Israel's cabinet approved the coordinates of the border of Israel's exclusive economic zone in the Mediterranean with Lebanon. The decision was part of the measures Israel is taking to demarcate its exclusive economic zone and its natural gas discoveries and licenses. Israel will submit to the UN a request to demarcate the exclusive economic zone's borders.
Israel's claims for its exclusive economic zone differ from the maps that Lebanon submitted to the UN in September 2011, although the differences are not great. Israel holds that the maritime border should begin at a 90 degree angle from the coastline, while Lebanon says that the maritime border should continue in the same direction as the land border. Each position is backed by a different school of international maritime law and there is no decisive decision either way.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 11, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011