Naharnet
Latest stories
Fayyad says Qatar interested in gas exploration in blocks 4, 9

Qatar is interested in gas exploration in Lebanon, caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayyad said Friday, a day after President Michel Aoun announced Lebanon's official approval of a U.S.-brokered border demarcation deal with Israel, unlocking significant offshore gas production.

Fayyad said that Qatari Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi has expressed Qatar's interest in joining the companies that will explore the block 4 and the block 9, where the Qana field is located.

W140 Full Story
Berri says Israel deal doesn't require debate in parliament

Speaker Nabih Berri has announced that the sea border demarcation deal with Israel “does not require a debate in parliament because it is not an agreement with Israel.”

Berri added, in remarks to Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, that he has asked parliament’s general secretariat to distribute the deal’s text to MPs so that they take note of it, following calls by some lawmakers for discussing it in parliament.

W140 Full Story
French FM meets top Lebanese officials over presidential vote, reforms

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna met Friday morning with President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

Colonna had arrived Thursday evening in Beirut to meet with top Lebanese officials.

W140 Full Story
Guterres welcomes border deal between Lebanon and Israel

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the resolution of the maritime boundary dispute between Lebanon and Israel.

In a statement he said that he strongly believes "this encouraging development can promote increased stability in the region and enhanced prosperity for the Lebanese and Israeli peoples."

W140 Full Story
Aoun announces Lebanon's official approval of border deal with Israel

President Michel Aoun said Thursday that Lebanon has formally approved the U.S.-mediated maritime border deal with Israel.

"This indirect agreement responds to Lebanese demands and maintains all our rights," Aoun said in an address to the nation.

W140 Full Story
US Embassy marks 15 years of law enforcement partnership with ISF

U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea met Thursday with Internal Security Forces chief Major General Imad Othman on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the signing of the first letter of agreement between the United States, through the Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and the Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF), on October 5, 2007.

W140 Full Story
Aoun to address Lebanese at 8pm over deal with Israel

President Michel Aoun will make an address to the nation on Thursday regarding the sea border demarcation deal that has been reached with Israel, Speaker Nabih Berri’s adviser Ali Hamdan said.

“President Michel Aoun called the parliament speaker to hold consultations and he (Aoun) informed him of U.S. President Joe Biden’s message,” Hamdan said in a TV interview.

W140 Full Story
Aoun calls Berri, Mikati over border deal with Israel

President Michel Aoun on Thursday held phone talks with Speaker Nabih Berri and PM-designate Najib Mikati to discuss with them the file of sea border demarcation in light of the final draft sent by U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein to Lebanese officials, the National News Agency said.

Aoun also discussed the matter in a meeting with caretaker Defense Minister Maurice Slim.

W140 Full Story
Berri to send MPs copies of border deal with Israel

Speaker Nabih Berri on Thursday asked Parliament’s General Secretariat to send all MPs copies of the sea border demarcation deal with Israel.

Berri added that the copies should be sent out after the agreement’s approval in Cabinet.

W140 Full Story
Berri adjourns presidential election session as FPM, Hezbollah boycott

A parliamentary session for the election of Lebanon's next president was adjourned Thursday to next week due to lack of quorum.

Only 71 out of 128 lawmakers attended the session and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called for another vote on October 20, to take place before Aoun's term finishes at the end of the month.

W140 Full Story