Ministries, Parliament Speeding up Efforts to Set Lebanon’s Exclusive Economic Zone

Several ministries and a parliamentary committee are holding intense talks to prepare a draft-law that sets Lebanon’s Exclusive Economic Zone but the decree is not likely to be completed by August 2 during a session of the cabinet, An Nahar daily reported Friday.

It said the meetings are being held between the representatives of the foreign, energy and economy ministries and parliament’s energy and hydraulics committee.

Upon the request of all parliamentary blocs, an effort would be made to prepare a parliamentary draft -law that sets the EEZ before the two-day legislative session that starts on August 3.

Al-Liwaa newspaper said the move would be made in cooperation with the cabinet.

The draft-law could be referred to parliament’s general committee to adopt it without going through the involved parliamentary committees in order not to waste time.

The speedy efforts to adopt the draft-law comes in light of the U.N. request to set a law on demarcating the EEZ to add it to the file that Lebanon sent to the world body to demand a demarcation of its maritime border over its conflict with Israel.