Hale Says U.S. Ready to Help Lebanon in Oil and Gas Issue

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale announced Tuesday that his country stands ready to assist Lebanon in “the transformation to an oil and gas producing country.”

Hale voiced his remarks after talks with Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain al-Tineh.

According to state-run National News Agency, the two men discussed the file of oil and gas and the issues of maritime borders, the Israeli sea violations and the Exclusive Economic Zone.

Hale revealed that U.S. energy diplomat Amos Hochstein will soon return to Lebanon to discuss the issue of oil and gas exploration, NNA said.

“The United States remains committed to supporting Lebanon’s efforts to make the transformation to an oil and gas producing country,” the ambassador said in a statement issued after the meeting with Berri.

“Our approach has always been to listen and to learn from Lebanese officials on how they wish to proceed on this issue, and to discuss how best the United States could be of help,” he added.

While stressing that “it is a Lebanese decision on how to proceed,” Hale noted that Washington has “offered ideas to both Israel and to Lebanon,” which are at loggerheads over 850 kilometers of territorial water that each side claims as part of its EEZ.

“We will continue to play an active role on this front as long as desired,” Hale promised.

Berri is spearheading a campaign to revive the oil exploration file in Lebanon after he accused Israel of “stealing” Lebanon's offshore gas.

He has also been calling for the demarcation of the southern territorial waters.

Last August, the government postponed for the fifth time the first round of licensing for gas exploration over a political dispute.

The disagreements were over the designation of blocks open for bidding and the terms of a draft exploration agreement.

Separately, Hale stressed the importance of “adherence to Lebanon’s constitution when tackling the political difficulties facing the country.”

“The Lebanese, alone, can, should, and must elect a president, urgently. Doing so, of course, alone, won’t solve all of the many problems challenging this country; but it will enable Lebanon to face those challenges in accordance with the Constitution and the National Pact,” the ambassador added.

Y.R.