US Mediator Voices Hope for Reaching Deal on Maritime Border Demarcation Between Lebanon, Israel

Beirut, August 01 (QNA) - US mediator Amos Hochstein voiced hope of reaching an agreement on maritime border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel in the coming weeks.
The US envoy held talks in Beirut with Lebanese President Michel, Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
"I remain optimistic that we can make continuous progress as we have over the last several weeks and I look forward to coming back to the region and being able to make the final arrangements," Hochstein told reporters on Monday.
US mediator Amos Hochstein commenced his talks last Sunday with a host of Lebanese senior officials to inform the Lebanese authorities of the Israeli response to the Lebanese proposal on the maritime border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel.
The Israeli entity requests that the negotiations should be confined only to a marine area estimated at 860 square kilometers, based on a map submitted in 2011 to the United Nations, but Lebanon later considered that the map was based on wrong estimates, and demanded an additional area of 1,430 square kilometers, including parts of the Karish field, while the American mediator believes that negotiations should be confined to an area of 860 square kilometers. (QNA)