Israel rejects Lebanese claims on Karish, Tanin gas fields

Israel delegation to Lebanon maritime border talks / Photo: Ministry of Energy
Israel delegation to Lebanon maritime border talks / Photo: Ministry of Energy

Israel has dismissed attempts by Lebanon to broaden the talks to include the gas fields being operated by Energean.

Israel has rejected Lebanon's position in the talks on offshore economic rights in the Mediterranean. Israel's Ministry of Energy made it clear this afternoon that it was dismissing out of hand attempts by Lebanon to broaden the talks to include the Karish and Tanin gas fields, which are being operated by Energean Oil & Gas plc (LSE: ENOG; TASE: ENOG).

Ministry of Energy director general Udi Adiri, who heads the Israeli delegation to the talks with Lebanon, sent a letter to Energean CEO Shaul Tzemach to clarify matters. Tzemach has enquired about the situation and Adiri made it clear that Minister of Energy Yuval Steinitz and others in the political echelon had instructed that there should be no talks with Lebanon on areas outside the disputed waters in the guidelines deposited with the UN in 2011.

Talks between Israel and Lebanon began last month under the mediation of the US and UN at UNIFIL offices in Rosh Hanikra, despite criticism of the negotiations by Hezbollah. At the second meeting the Lebanese delegation raised issues related to areas outside of the disputed waters and close to the Karish and Tanin fields. However, Israel had previously agreed in indirect talks nine years ago only to discuss areas it had defined as disputed.

Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on November 1, 2020

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2020

Israel delegation to Lebanon maritime border talks / Photo: Ministry of Energy
Israel delegation to Lebanon maritime border talks / Photo: Ministry of Energy
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