- Title: Focus on maritime border as Pompeo hosts Lebanese prime minister
- Date: 15th August 2019
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (AUGUST 15, 2019) (STATE TV) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO AND LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER SAAD HARIRI WALKING UP TO PODIUMS (SOUNDBITE) (English) LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER SAAD HARIRI, SAYING: "I reaffirmed our partnership and joint commitment to the fight against terrorism. I also affirmed to the Secretary or commitment to continuing the negotiation process led by Ambassador Satterfield on behalf of the U.S. government, concerning our land and maritime borders. The proposal was communicated to the President of the Republic and the Speaker of the Parliament, and to me. We consider the process to be viable. And we'll continue to support constitutional next steps leading up to a final decision in the coming months, hopefully September. " WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO, SAYING: "I am also am very appreciative of the Prime Minister's statement about the commitment to make progress towards the resumption of productive expert level discussions for the handful of remaining points with respect to the Blue Line and the initiation discussions on the Israel/Lebanon, Lebanon maritime border. We are prepared to participate as a mediator and facilitator in the maritime discussions, and we do hope that we will soon see substantive discussions on these important issues --the resolution of which would be greatly beneficial to Lebanon and to the broader region. Mr. Prime Minister thank you again for visiting today. Good luck to you. It was great to be with you. Thank you. Thank you all." POMPEO HARIRI SHAKE HANDS AND LEAVE PODIUMS
- Embargoed: 29th August 2019 20:54
- Keywords: Pompeo Hariri Lebanon Israel maritime border oil and gas exploration.
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001ASBYIBR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri said on Thursday (August 15) that Lebanon views talks facilitated by the U.S. over its sea boundary with Israel to be "viable."
Senior U.S. official David Satterfield has been shuttling between Lebanon and Israel in an effort to launch the talks between the countries, which have remained formally in a state of war since Israel was founded in 1948.
Settling the maritime dispute could help both countries exploit offshore energy reserves.
(Production: Deborah Lutterbeck) - Copyright Holder: STATE DEPARTMENT TV
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