The two nations’ shared marine borders came into contention last year after Syria authorised a Russian energy company to begin maritime excavations in territory Lebanon claims to be its own. In the eastern Mediterranean, a number of gas finds were made.
Aoun said earlier, that the demarcation of these borders “will be the next”, after Lebanon agreed on its Southern Naval borders with Israel, following indirect American talks over years.
After the talks on Saturday, the Lebanese official reportedly stated that “Michel Aoun told Bashar al-Assad that Lebanon is keen to initiate negotiations with Syria to demarcate the northern maritime borders.”
According to the official, “Aoun then commissioned a group that will travel to Damascus in the coming days to begin negotiations, headed by the vice-president of the House of Representatives, Elias Bou Saab, who negotiated on behalf of Lebanon on indirect talks with Israel.
The representative further stated that the group would include Abbas Ibrahim, the director general of public security, as well as the foreign and transportation ministers of Lebanon.
The specifics of the delineation, according to the Syrian “Sham FM” station, “have not yet been negotiated, and Assad offered direct discussions through the two foreign ministries of the two countries,” it said.
It is notable that last year, the two presidents spoke on border demarcation.
On October 31, Aoun’s term as president of Lebanon, which is going through a severe political and economic crisis, comes to an end. With the election of Aoun, the House of Representatives was unsuccessful for three sessions.
And Assad obtained another 7 -year presidential term last year, in elections after the government regained control of large areas of the lands it lost in the conflict that broke out in 2011..
Lebanon talks with Syria on the maritime borders after reaching an agreement with Israel.
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