Berri, Plumbly Meeting 'Tense' over Lebanon's EEZ

A “tense” meeting held recently between Speaker Nabih Berri and U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly tackled Lebanon's offshore natural reserves, As Safir newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The two officials discussed the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), in which Berri suggested that the 854 square kilometers that Lebanon and Israel are bickering over should be a neutral area.

Berri also considered that the United Nations should take part in demarcating the country's maritime boundary.

The disputed zone contains suspected energy reserves that could generate billions of dollars.

However, according to the daily, Plumbly didn't respond to Berri's suggestions, who stressed that Lebanon will not give up one inch of it's rights.

In August 2011, parliament passed a law setting the country's maritime boundary and EEZ, in which it has special rights to explore and exploit natural resources.

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.

Beirut argues that a maritime map it submitted to the U.N. is in line with an armistice accord drawn up in 1949, an agreement which is not contested by Israel.