Top Lebanese negotiator satisfied with US final text for Israel maritime border deal

Lebanon has received a final draft of a US-mediated maritime border deal with Israel that satisfies all of Lebanon's requirements and could imminently lead to a "historic deal," Lebanese lead negotiator Elias Bou Saab told Reuters.

"If everything goes well, Amos Hochstein's efforts could imminently lead to a historic deal," Bou Saab said minutes after receiving the final draft from Hochstein, the US official who has engaged in months of shuttle diplomacy to end the dispute.

While limited in scope, an agreement would ease security and economic concerns in both countries, whose shared history is rife with conflict.

The deal will resolve a territorial dispute in the eastern tip of the Mediterranean sea in an area where Lebanon aims to explore for natural gas and near waters Israel has found commercially viable quantities of hydrocarbons.

"We received minutes ago the final draft... Lebanon felt that it takes into consideration all of Lebanon's requirements and we believe that the other side should feel the same," Bou Saab said.

Israel last week rejected last-minute amendments to the deal by Lebanon that briefly appeared to jeopardize longstanding efforts to reach an agreement.

Officials from both countries were in close contact via the US mediator over the past days in an effort to resolve outstanding differences.

[Reuters]