Officials Refuse to Budge an Inch on Petroleum Debate
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Sharp discord over the petroleum file reached a dead end on Monday as political foes are holding onto their stances regarding the necessity of holding an extraordinary session to tackle two decrees essential to award the oil blocs for the oil companies.
Energy Minister Jebran Bassil revealed in comments published in As Safir newspaper that he will contact caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati soon to discuss the matter.
He denied that the two decrees were referred to the cabinet without the approval of the petroleum authority.
Bassil accused some officials, without naming them, of blocking the two decrees that took their legal path to the government seven months ago.
The decrees call for demarcating 10 maritime oil exploration blocs and setting up a revenue-sharing model.
The country's oil and gas wealth attracted around 46 Arab and international companies in the second pre-qualification round of the tenders process.
Sources close to Miqati said that the caretaker PM is holding on to his stance, rejecting to call for an extraordinary session to tackle the two decrees.
“Holding an extraordinary session specified to discuss the petroleum file is not possible amid the current circumstances,” the sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper.
The sources reiterated that a caretaker cabinet tackle any “fundamental issue.”
For his part, Speaker Nabih Berri considered that holding the session is a “priority” in order to confront “the continuous Israeli threats for the country's wealth.”
He explained that he is “insisting on demarcating 10 maritime oil exploration blocs in a single stage” to block any attempts by Israel to exploit Lebanon's oil reserves and to provide the country with the necessary financial resources it needs.
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.
Lebanon and Israel are bickering over a zone that consists of about 854 square kilometers and suspected energy reserves there could generate billions of dollars.
Caretaker Economy and Trade Minister Nicolas Nahas told As Safir newspaper that there's a discord over the petroleum file, which is the mean reason for delaying the cabinet session over the matter.
March 14 sources told the daily that the coalition “demanded that the cabinet don't hold a session to tackle the two decrees to avoid any unconstitutional actions.”
07 October 2013, 10:14
88
"Bassil accused some officials, without naming them" ... why not? why do politicians in Lebanon always use codes? Name them ya 3ayni if you have nothing to fear ... a chip of the old block .. .the general has been talking about files and forces for so many years without naming one ... this tactic is in your genes ... corrupt all of you
08 October 2013, 07:42
00
Nops ... just wondering why is he and all the others scared of naming things by their names. We do not want or need such politicians in Lebanon.
If you could say then why doesn't he? what is he scared of? 3am ye7sob khat el raj3a?
I just wonder how thick you are to keep following such idiot, yet again .. birds of the feather flock together
07 October 2013, 10:31
137
God Bless Bassil, the miracle minister and the future king of the FPM, for calling a spade a spade. Those blocking the oil decrees are none other than Gaegae, Harriri, and their majority ministers in the cabinet. For 3 years now, they have been undermining the efforts of the FPM and the resistance in the cabinet and in Parliament. History will not be kind to those who hinder the natural progress of democracy and the will of the people. Tfehhhhhh
07 October 2013, 11:33
77
So you are supporting a kid who did not have the courage that you have as he did not name these politicians.
I do not agree with you that they were undermining the efforts of FPM, they are just not agreeing no how to split the pie. They are all corrupt and your Bambino Bassil is one corrupt scared little kid as well.
You did make me laugh with your "King of the FPM" remark though, shows how you look at the current Claoun, what a pitty!
07 October 2013, 13:25
108
RFT, seems like even your ideological friends dont get you, i guess Oscar Wilde's quote applies here: "irony is wasted on the stupid"
07 October 2013, 17:25
57
yay, i have my very zionist puppy shill! not very useful, he just follows me everywhere and yaps the same thing all the time, but he's always there for me and that is very touching.
07 October 2013, 10:35
66
By the time production starts oil and gas will be obsolete. I don't trust either M8 or M14 with our national wealth. We need a non-politician to head the oil and gas ministry, and it doesn't have to be the energy minister. As far as Mr. Bassil is concerned, I do not see the electricity 24/7 despite the Turkish boats and the $1.2 billion he had allocated to his ministry two years ago.
07 October 2013, 11:00
92
So just continue arguing.
Continue accusing Israel. At least it takes the blame off the real culprits.
"He denied that the two decrees were referred to the cabinet without the approval of the petroleum authority."
Excuse me, but as the cabinet is the highest decision making forum in the country, it seems that they can decide on anything without having to get permission from other statutory bodies (in this case the petroleum authority).
Grow up, get the matters in order, and start putting out the contracts. The quicker the contracts get out, the quicker the drilling starts, the quicker the money starts rolling into the Lebanese economy. Or do some people there have problems with that?
07 October 2013, 13:17
43
Dont worry phillipo, if Bassil could do that alone, he would have done it already and got his share.
Unfortunatelly all political parties with no execptions from M14 and M8 are bickering over the petroleum and the only victim is Lebanon and the Lebanese... And that what they were doing from 2005 till now for every file, bickering over shares. but since Petroleum is a golden mine, they won't setlle easily and it will be a tough and long fight.
And to say that we were hoping that it will bring prosperity to Lebanon and get rid of all the national debt.
07 October 2013, 19:01
46
bassil is pushing for it, with m8 behind him. m14 is blocking it. can't throw the blame on both, that's too easy.
m14 is just completely opposed to any and everything m8 tries to do, they dont want to let it achieve anything because it would make them look bad for having done nothing in the decades that they ruled the country and ruined it.
07 October 2013, 19:23
60
a caretaker gvt cannot take any decisions.... no one is blocking but rather applying the constitution something M8 is unfamiliar with.....
08 October 2013, 12:00
00
yea i heard that lame excuse, thanks for repeating m14 propaganda peace.
a caretaker gvt can and should treat all urgent files. and this is an urgent file.
07 October 2013, 11:18
58
can a caretaker gvt take any important decisions? i don't think so....
07 October 2013, 14:10
35
dream on my friend dream on....the wealth will never trickle down in Lebanon, for some reason it always trickles up to the politicians.
07 October 2013, 15:02
26
This should give those who have an open and a reasonable mind a clue as to why a Technocrat government devoid of M8 and M14 is being opposed by a certain group. The oil file along with a few others in the hands of Technocrats will yield results and those who oppose results that take away their ability to swindle Lebanon and its people will fight such progress tooth and nail.
07 October 2013, 15:29
70
now it seems we have a war between M8 and M14 on who's pocket is going to be the bank of the income of oil benefits. Hizbullah and M8 want it to gain the scene buy more weapons and get richer without the finance of their drg dealing expats in the americas and europe. M14 wants it to enlarge solidaire and gain money and sell the people buy purchasing their lands with oil cash its all a loss loss situation for the poor citizens who are searching for their bread and couldnt educate their children to be qualified to become high ranking workers in the oil field.
07 October 2013, 15:52
28
Mikati didnt yet have time to purchase all the plots he wants to purchase in Tripoli. Hence the stalling.
07 October 2013, 16:03
70
sure it is unconstitutionnal as no caretaker gvt can take fundemental decisions.... so just wait till a new gvt is set up... too difficult??? hhypocrit FPMers.....
07 October 2013, 16:40
00
Bassil is the only guy who has done anything in Lebanese government for years. Furthermore he would have done it sooner if he wasn't blocked by corrupt politicos who want to keep their hands in the till. So criticize Bassil if you want for having the nerve to do anything but serve Foreign Masters. Meanwhile Israelis making use of their time and your resources .
07 October 2013, 17:03
34
i didnt mean to exclude Miqati my dear Lebanon first. They all have individual plans and as long as each one's plan is not ready the whole country will wait for them. and im surprised as an expat how are the Lebanese still sitting there. if there should be a revolution anywhere in the Middle east it should be in Lebanon because the Cedar Revolution was not a Revolution it was scandal aiming to benefit people who have been and still are there in power except very few exceptions.
07 October 2013, 17:29
00
This is the most incompetent corrupt government this country has ever seen and that according to it's own members and in a country were corruption is part of the fabric it's a serious statement.
07 October 2013, 17:31
00
What is wrong with Lebanon, the only thing is going for Lebanon is the Beach and Tourism. Now they want to mess up the beaches to get OIL... What OIL, it will cost lot to get it out... This is all distraction for the poor lebanese people. Wake Up People.
07 October 2013, 21:10
00
Stupidity at Work in Lebanon, what OIL and where in a Tourist Country... Supposed to be.
