US President Joe Biden’s senior advisor, Amos Hochstein, left Beirut on Thursday after a two-day visit.

Speaking to the press at the airport, he said: “After having demarcated the maritime borders between Lebanon and Israel, we can now work on the delineation of the land borders.”

Asked whether he would play the role of mediator between Lebanon and Israel to resolve the disputed points along the land border, he replied: “Over the last couple of days, I’ve been here to listen to the views of the Lebanese government, to go down south and see for myself the Blue Line and the surrounding areas, to understand and learn more about what is needed in order to be able to potentially achieve an outcome.”

“It is now time for me to also hear from the other side about what their views are and to make an assessment if this is the right time and if we are at a window of opportunity to be able to achieve it”, he added.

Hochstein noted that “the United States always supports a policy that enables stability and security, and resolving long disputes is always something that can benefit the country”.

He added: “In the case of Lebanon, as we talk about economic reforms and political reforms, if we can also match that with security, and the kind of security that demonstrates to the rest of the world that the country is good and open for business in a reliable manner, it’ll be good for everyone”.

We recall that Hochstein played a key role in the delimitation of the maritime borders between Lebanon and Israel.

He added: “I am always positive about Lebanon and its internal issues. Exploration constitutes the beginning of investments and employment opportunities for Lebanese youth and for Economic recovery.”

Before going to the airport, he met with the Deputy Speaker, Elias Bou Saab.

Maintaining stability

During the day, the US envoy met with Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdallah Bou Habib. At the end of the meeting, he expressed the concern of his country’s administration about “maintaining stability in southern Lebanon.”

Hochstein stated that “after the success” of the mediation he carried out to demarcate the maritime border, he is in the process of evaluating the extent of the concerned parties’ readiness to engage in negotiations to delineate the land border and settle the remaining disputed spots.

The American envoy expressed his “aspiration to move forward on the path of gas exploration in Lebanese territorial waters,” noting “the presence of global interest in this exploration.”

He said he was optimistic that “this momentum, if accompanied by the necessary reforms and the completion of the necessary constitutional entitlements, will put Lebanon on the path to economic advancement and stability.”

Bou Habib, on his part, explained that “the position he conveyed in New York” regarding UNIFIL’s mandate renewal is that of the Lebanese government, which was decided in consultation with the various local parties to preserve Lebanese sovereignty, interests and stability in the south.

Lebanon insists on a clause that requests UNIFIL to coordinate their movement in their zone of operations with the Lebanese Army, while the US and other Security Council members seek freedom of movement for the peacekeepers.

Bou Habib also expressed to Hochstein “Lebanon’s readiness” to engage in land border demarcation, “in a manner that would preserve Lebanon’s rights.”