Parliament Gives Lebanon Right to Explore Maritime Resources
Parliament approved on Thursday a draft law on the delineation of Lebanon’s maritime border after introducing an amendment to article 6, two days after the cabinet’s adoption of the decree.
The adoption of the law comes amid a dispute between Lebanon and Israel over their maritime boundary. Both countries are moving to assert sovereignty over an area potentially rich in gas.
Tension rose last month after Israel's cabinet approved a map of the country's proposed maritime borders with Lebanon and submitted it to the United Nations, which has been asked to mediate.
The map conflicts with one submitted by Lebanon to the U.N. last year and that gives Israel less territory. Lebanon says its map is in line with an armistice accord drawn up in 1949 and not contested by Israel.
The decree sets out the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) which is a sea zone that gives a state the right to explore its maritime resources.
The parliamentary approval came on the second day of a session that also witnessed the adoption of 25 draft laws.
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