Berri Urges Cabinet to Issue Decree on Oil Exploration, Threatens to Question it
Speaker Nabih Berri threatened on Tuesday the government against failing to issue the decrees concerning the implementation of decisions reached on oil exploration.
As Safir newspaper reported that Berri warned to call on the parliament to convene to question the cabinet over its performance if it didn’t issue the decrees during a session scheduled to be held at Baabda palace on Wednesday.
The speaker noted that Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Energy Minister Jebran Bassil had committed themselves to issue the decrees by the end of the year.
“I will not accept any breach in the obligations… I will call for a parliamentary session to inquire the cabinet, even if the concerned party was a friend or an ally,” Berri said.
He noted that the “economic and financial crisis created a dispute on the wage hike boost… However; we continue ignoring the offshore oil wealth.”
Berri said in remarks published in the daily that “Cyprus and Israel began applying measures by kicking off the exploration expeditions, while we continue wasting time.”
“I can’t tolerate (any delay) after I was patient enough,” the speaker added.
The cabinet approved in September the proposed borders of Lebanon’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the Mediterranean.
However, a dispute had sparked between Lebanon and Israel over the maritime border after the discovery of potential offshore energy reserves.
The Israeli cabinet in July approved a map, which conflicts with Lebanon's proposed borders. It was submitted to the U.N. that has been asked to mediate the growing conflict.
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