Kubis Hails ‘Responsible’ Sea Border Talks

UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis said during talks with President Michel Aoun that participants in the first round of delineation talks between Lebanon and Israel “showed a great deal of responsibility and professionalism," the National News Agency reported on Tuesday.

Kubis explained to Aoun the role of the United Nations in these negotiations, held at the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura, and the rules upon which the participants relied.

Kubis explained that the negotiations were held in Arabic alongside the English language.

“We hope to reach an agreement that preserves Lebanon's sovereign rights through technical negotiations to demarcate southern maritime borders,” said Aoun.

Aoun thanked the UN for hosting the US-mediated talks at its headquarters in Naqoura.

On Wednesday, the U.S.-mediated talks kicked attended by US Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker.

A joint statement released by the U.S. State Department and Jan Kubis, the U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon, said the Israeli and Lebanese teams “held productive talks and reaffirmed their commitment to continue negotiations later this month.”