Jumblat Warns 'Our Oil Is at Risk' as Political Foes Support Extraordinary Cabinet Session

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat announced that the Lebanese oil is “at risk” because of the stalling in completing the necessary procedures.

"I was never against holding a cabinet session on the issue of oil and now after this delay I support holding a session,” Jumblat said in a telephone call with al-Manar television.

"We were overran by everyone else and our oil is at risk.”

Al-Manar revealed that caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati is communicating with caretaker Health Minister Ali Hassan Khali and caretaker Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour to reach an accord on a cabinet session on petroleum.

"Miqati also received a phone call from the political aide of the Hizbullah chief Hussein Khalil to express the party's support of a session on oil,” the same sourced added.

Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil urged President Michel Suleiman and Miqati to hold an extraordinary governmental session to issue two decrees that call for demarcating 10 maritime oil exploration blocs and setting up a revenue-sharing model.

Bassil explained that his step aims at “preserving the oil and protecting it against any local obstruction and any foreign exploitation.”

"Especially against any Israeli exploitation.”

Regarding the maritime oil blocs, Jumblat considered that the petroleum authority is the party concerned in resolving this matter.

Meanwhile, Khalil stressed during a visit to Miqati on the importance of contracting out the maritime oil blocks.

"This is a point of disagreement with Bassil,” Khalil pointed out. "But discussion over this issue was not and will not be interrupted.”

Bassil had told MTV that contracting out the maritime oil blocs as one batch would prevent transparent tenders.

Earlier in October, Bassil issued a decision to postpone to January 2014 the bid to license the candidate companies to explorate the oil and gas in Lebanese waters.