The presidents of Lebanon and Syria have met to discuss delineating the maritime border between the countries, a week after a landmark Lebanon-Israel deal on a disputed boundary in the Mediterranean.
The meeting comes before a visit by a Lebanese delegation to Damascus next week to discuss the issue, Reuters reports.
As with the Lebanon-Israel maritime dispute, the contention between Syria and Lebanon has focused on a section of the East Mediterranean where one side — in this instance Syria — has offered drilling and exploration rights to a foreign energy company.
Last year, Syria signed an agreement with Russian firms East Med Amrit and Capital Limited, to explore potential oil and gas reserves in an area thought to be rich in resources, Syrian state media reported. The agreement followed a 2013 deal with Russian company Soyuzneftegaz which was halted due to the security situation in Syria.
The country’s nearly decade-long civil war has all but ended, with the exception of ongoing tensions and sporadic violence around the rebel-held enclave of Idlib on the Turkish border.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun has said a new agreement on the maritime border would be a priority following the deal with Israel on October 11 which delineated areas both sides could explore for oil and gas, as well as agreeing on a profit sharing scheme at the Karish oilfield, where Israel has allowed drilling to commence.
Mr Aoun told Syrian President Bashar Al Assad that Lebanon was keen “to begin negotiations with Syria to delineate its northern maritime boundary”, a Lebanese official said after Saturday's talks.
Mr Aoun then tasked Elias Bou Saab, the deputy speaker of parliament who negotiated on behalf of Lebanon in the indirect talks over the boundary with Israel, to head a delegation to Damascus next week to kick-start discussions, the official said.
The delegation would include the Lebanese foreign and transport ministers as well as head of the General Security agency Abbas Ibrahim, the official added.
Syria's Sham FM radio reported that details of the delineation had yet to be discussed and that Mr Al Assad proposed holding direct talks via the countries’ foreign ministries.
The two leaders discussed delineation last year.
Mr Aoun's term as president of Lebanon, which is in the midst of a deep political and economic crisis, ends on October 31. Three parliamentary sessions have failed to elect a successor.
Mr Al Assad secured another seven-year term last year in an election derided by Syria's opposition and the West as a farce.
The vote was held after the government regained control of much of the territory lost to opponents in a conflict that erupted in 2011.
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LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
RESULTS
2.30pm Jaguar I-Pace – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt)
1,600m
Winner Namrood, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi
(trainer)
3.05pm Land Rover Defender – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D)
1,400m
Winner Shadzadi, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
3.40pm Jaguar F-Type – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner Tahdeed, Fernando Jara, Nicholas Bachalard
4.15pm New Range Rover – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
Winner Shanty Star, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly
4.50pm Land Rover – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 2,400m
Winner Autumn Pride, Bernardo Pinheiro, Helal Al Alawi
5.25pm Al Tayer Motor – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 T) 1,000m
Winner Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm Jaguar F-Pace SVR – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,600m
Winner Scabbard, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 1
Mata 11'
Chelsea 1
Alonso 43'
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
