BEIRUT, Jan. 13, 2022 (Xinhua) Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bouhabib announced Thursday that he was informed by US officials that the project to import energy to Lebanon from Egypt and Jordan through Syria is exempt from the restrictions of the US “Caesar Act” which prohibits cooperation with Damascus.
This came according to a statement by the Lebanese presidency during President Michel Aoun’s meeting with Minister Bou Habib, who briefed him on the results of his recent visit to the United States and the meetings he held with officials in the National Security Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Bou Habib explained that America informed Egyptian officials of its support for the project to bring gas and electricity to Lebanon from Egypt and Jordan through Syria.
The energy and oil ministers of Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon agreed last September and October to supply Lebanon with electricity from Jordan and natural gas from Egypt through the Arab Gas Pipeline to solve the electricity sector crisis in Lebanon, which incurred losses in the state treasury exceeding 40 billion dollars.
Bou Habib indicated that during the talks he held, he sensed “clear American support” for the expected role of the International Monetary Fund in helping Lebanon to overcome its difficult economic conditions through the speedy development of a plan for recovery and the completion of the necessary reforms that Lebanon needs.
He added that officials in the United States are encouraging the holding of parliamentary elections in Lebanon on schedule next May.
The Foreign Minister affirmed that the discussion with US officials dealt with the issue of US aid to the Lebanese army in accordance with the support plan established for this purpose between the Lebanese and American leaderships.
He pointed out that the research also touched on Lebanon’s relations with the Gulf states, the situation in Syria and the issue of the displaced Syrians, where he noted an “understanding” from the US administration of the Lebanese position on this file more than in the past with regard to the return of the displaced to safe areas in Syria.
In another field, Bou Habib explained that US officials are encouraging to proceed with the process of demarcating the southern maritime border between Lebanon and Israel, noting that the US envoy in charge of this task, Amos Hochstein, will come to Lebanon during the next few days to resume his efforts with the aim of moving this file.
Lebanon and Israel, under the auspices of the United Nations and mediated by Washington, held 5 indirect negotiating sessions between October 2020 and May 2021 to discuss the demarcation of the disputed maritime borders, but the sixth round was postponed indefinitely due to differences over the technical standards to be followed to complete the demarcation.
