Lebanon and Cyprus finalise sea border agreement after an almost 20-year impasse

Beirut, Nov 26 (AP) Lebanon and Cyprus signed a long-delayed sea border agreement on Wednesday, ending an almost 20-year impasse that had stalled some oil and gas exploration in the Mediterranean Sea, as Europe seeks alternatives to Russian fuel.
    Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides signed the agreement at the Baabda presidential palace outside the Lebanese capital, Beirut, finalising an initial deal first inked in 2007.
    Christodoulides called the deal a “historic agreement" in a joint press conference with Aoun, who in turn said the signing sends “a clear ... invitation” to anyone who wants to cooperate with Lebanon.
    While Cyprus ratified the 2007 agreement, Lebanon didn't because of its maritime border dispute with Israel, as well as its internal political crises. Nicosia in 2012 offered to mediate to end the impasse, but a breakthrough didn't come until 2022, leading to a landmark agreement between Beirut and Tel Aviv, following US mediation.
    Lebanon hopes offshore exploration could help it generate resources after years of crippling economic crisis. It is yet to reach a maritime border agreement with neighbouring Syria, which suffers its own political upheaval after a lightning rebel offensive ousted long-term President Bashar Assad. (AP) ZH
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)