Calm Disputes Emerge among Oil Authority Members over Head of Committee

Members of the oil authority expressed their reservations on the appointment of Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour as the head of the regulatory committee, As Safir newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Sources told the daily that the “silent” disputes erupted among the members after divisions emerged over who should be appointed as the head of the committee.

A number of the members are supporting Public Works and Transportation Minister Ghazi Aridi to chair the committee, while others are voicing their support to Energy Minister Jebran Bassil.

Ministerial sources ruled out that any dispute between the committee members would affect its work.

As Safir noted that around 80 applications were accepted and will undergo further examining and interviews with the applicants in order to fill the vacant posts in the board of directors of the oil authority.

Lebanon has been slow to exploit its maritime resources compared with other eastern Mediterranean countries. Israel, Cyprus and Turkey are all much more advanced in drilling for oil and gas.

In March, the cabinet approved the appointment of the six members.

Lebanon and Israel are bickering over a zone that consists of about 854 square kilometers and suspected energy reserves there could generate billions of dollars.

The Israeli map conflicts with Lebanon's proposed maritime border.

Lebanon argues its map is in line with an armistice accord drawn up in 1949, an agreement which is not contested by Israel.