Lebanon may have to take Syria to Int’l courts over border demarcation

Lebanese President Michel Aoun reportedly phoned Syria’s Bashar al-Assad to discuss the demarcation of Lebanon-Syria maritime borders, according to Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Charbel Wehbe.

The move came after a Russian oil company signed an agreement with Syria for exploration in Mediterranean Sea in an area that is claimed by Lebanon in its 2011 border demarcation

Speaking to Lebanese MTV Television station on Tuesday, Wehbe said Aoun confirmed in his call with Assad that “Lebanon won’t accept to diminish from its sovereignty over its waters”.

Wehbe confirmed that his country sticks to demarcating the maritime borders via negotiations.

“The last resort would be to seek international courts,” Wehbe said,

Syria and Lebanon have had problems demarcation their Land border too . many border areas are like no man’s land and are used for smuggling between the 2 countries

The maritime border demarcation with Syria affects blocs no 1 and 2 which will be explored under the new Russian Syrian contract

According to reports , the Syrian side grabbed a Lebanese area of 750 square kilometers from Block No. 1 alone, where the Russian exploration process will begin.

The problem for Lebanon is that president Aoun’s key ally the Iranian backed Hezbollah is a staunch ally of the Syrian regime . Hezbollah controls all the 3 top branches of government in Lebanon. The presidency thru Aoun, the government thru its hand picked PM Hassan Diab and the parliament through its ally speaker Nabih Berri .

The question therefor is who is going to fight for Lebnon’s rights