Maritime demarcation deal: Beirut prepares to host Cypriot delegation for maritime border talks

Report by Yazbek Wehbe, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi  

Beirut is preparing to welcome a Cypriot delegation to discuss the demarcation of their shared maritime border, building on the recent meeting between the Lebanese and Cypriot presidents in Nicosia. 

According to officials, the broad outlines of the agreement are nearly finalized, with both countries showing signs of mutual understanding.

In 2022, Deputy Parliament Speaker Elias Bou Saab announced an agreement with Cyprus to amend the southern maritime border in line with Lebanon's Line 23, referencing the same boundary used in the maritime deal signed between Lebanon and Israel under U.S. and U.N. mediation. 

At the time, Bou Saab emphasized that complete closure of the file would only come after a similar agreement with Syria, a step that remains pending.

On Friday, the Lebanese government appointed a delegation headed by Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny to conclude the remaining technical details with Cyprus. The expected agreement could see Lebanon regain over 2,500 square kilometers of exclusive economic waters that were ceded in a 2007 deal with Cyprus as a result of the 2022 deal.

However, the maritime border dispute with Syria remains unresolved, particularly in the northern area, which covers blocks 1 and 2—an estimated contested zone of between 750 and 1,000 square kilometers. The dispute has delayed Lebanon's ability to open those blocks for exploration and development.

Whether the new Syrian leadership is willing to engage in demarcation talks remains unclear, especially given the strong influence of its ally, Turkey. 

Ankara, with its ambitions in the Eastern Mediterranean, continues to seek a share of offshore energy resources, including those connected to its claim over Turkish Cyprus. These competing claims have created friction with Greece and the Republic of Cyprus, impacting Turkey's broader ties with the European Union.

While the maritime agreement with Cyprus may seem more attainable, especially after Lebanon finalized its deal with Israel, progress still hinges on broader regional understandings. The path forward remains entangled in a complex web of geopolitical rivalries and competing interests.