Lebanese Prez: Border talks hurdles with Israel can be solved

Beirut, Dec 2 (IANS) Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Wednesday said that Lebanon and Israel can overcome the difficulties that emerged in their latest negotiations on maritime border demarcation, according to a statement by Lebanon's presidency."The difficulties ... can be overcome through in-depth discussions based on international rights and articles of the law of the sea," Aoun said during his meeting with John Desrocher, head of the US delegation mediating in the indirect border talks between Lebanon and Israel.Negotiations must continue and there can always be alternatives, Aoun noted.Lebanese officials said on Monday that the next round of negotiations with Israel over the maritime border demarcation was postponed, Xinhua reported.The Lebanese delegation has pushed for an additional 1,430 square km to be included in Lebanese territory besides the already disputed 860-square-km area.This proposal was rejected by Israelis.
--IANS int/