Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Thursday said that Lebanon should follow the “Lebanese way” in the border demarcation talks with Israel.

“This time we have to negotiate not according to the Persian way nor according to the Arab way, but rather in our Lebanese way: firmness and flexibility -- the firmness of adhering to rights and flexibility in science and solutions,” Bassil tweeted.

Israel's Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi on Thursday said success in the upcoming Lebanese-Israeli negotiations to demarcate the disputed border between the two sides will likely boost stability in the region.

"I believe that success in the talks will significantly contribute to the stability of the region and promote prosperity for the citizens of both Israel and Lebanon," he said.

President Michel Aoun will be in charge of the border negotiations with Israel in line with Article 52 of the Constitution, the Presidency said on Thursday.

It added that Aoun will oversee “the formation of the negotiating Lebanese delegation” and will “follow up on the negotiation stages.”

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hailed Thursday an agreement under which Israel and Lebanon will discuss their disputed maritime and land borders.

"This historic agreement between the two parties was brokered by the United States and is the result of nearly three years of intense diplomatic engagement" by U.S. diplomats David Satterfield and David Schenker, Pompeo said in a statement.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) welcomes today’s announcement of a framework agreement to launch negotiations between Lebanon and Israel on maritime and land border demarcation between the two countries, the U.N. force said on Thursday.

"UNIFIL stands ready to extend to the parties all the support at its disposal and facilitate efforts towards a resolution of this upcoming negotiations and move forward with Blue Line demarcation," it said in a statement, shortly after the framework agreement was announced by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

Lebanon and Israel will hold U.N.-mediated talks on their disputed land and maritime borders, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri announced Thursday.

The United States will act as a facilitator during the talks, which are due to be held at the U.N. headquarters in the southern Lebanon border town of Naqoura, Berri told a news conference without providing a date for the negotiations.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi held talks on Thursday with seven, now-resigned, independent Christian lawmakers who emphasized the need that Lebanon stages early parliamentary elections to “restore credibility between the people and officials,” the National News Agency reported.

“The Patriarch is keen on maintaining hope in Lebanon while seeing it diminishing. We must hold on to this land. We need early elections, because it restores credibility between the people and political leaders,” MP Neamet Efrem said.

The Ambassador of Mexico to Lebanon, José-Ignacio Madrazo, and the Chairman of LibanPost, Khalil Daoud, have led a ceremony for the joint issuance of a commemorative stamp, on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Lebanon.

This is the result of collaboration between the Mexican Postal Service and LibanPost, with “generous support from the Centro Libanés in Mexico City,” said a statement issued by the Embassy of Mexico in Lebanon.

Head of the Free Patriotic Movement MP Jebran Bassil was reportedly admitted to the hospital four days after contracting the COVID-19 virus, MTV station reported on Thursday,

The station said Bassil was admitted to Hotel Dieu Hospital after suffering shortness of breath and that his situation was stable and doing well.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri reportedly will announce the framework agreement representing the basis for the launch of indirect negotiations with Israel on demarcating the land and maritime borders, under the auspices of the United Nations and American mediation, al-Akhbar daily reported Thursday.