Hochstein tells Fayyad US to facilitate Egypt and Jordan energy deals

U.S. energy mediator Amos Hochstein stressed to caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayyad in their meeting on Monday that Washington still supports Lebanon’s bid to import gas and electricity from Egypt and Jordan, media reports said on Tuesday.

Hochstein asked that Lebanon sign the agreement with Egypt and promised that the U.S. would send the letter of guarantees that would exempt Cairo from the Caesar Act sanctions, al-Akhbar newspaper reported.

The U.S. envoy also said that Washington would mediate with the World Bank to secure funding, the daily added.

Moreover, Hochstein promised Fayyad to “mediate with the Iraqi side to renew the contract of supplying Lebanon with fuel oil for its power plants.”

The newspaper added that Lebanon will finalize the agreement with Egypt by Sunday, or “within ten days at the latest.”