Cyprus FM: Nicosia Won’t Amend Maritime Borders Treaty with Tel Aviv

However the minister assured that there no disputes between her country and Lebanon, stressing that the disagreement was between Beirut and Tel Aviv.

Cyprus Foreign Minister said her country would not amend the treaty endorsed with the Zionist entity over the Maritime borders.

In an interview with Lebanese daily, as-Safri, Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, said amending the treaty would make Cyprus lose around 750 km² of its exclusive economical zone in favor of the Zionist entity.



However the minister assured that there no disputes between her country and Lebanon, stressing that the disagreement was between Beirut and Tel Aviv.



Lebanon has previously objected the treaty, calling on Cyprus to amend the deal with Israel.



Marcoullis has also urged Lebanon and the Zionist entity to find solution in which Cyprus would then amend its two treaties with the two sides.

In this context the FM noted that her country would play the role of ‘facilitator’.



She also said that Cyprus is trying to establish a legal framework for cooperation with Lebanon over the issue of oil, “and that is what we are also doing with Israel and Egypt in parallel.”



Marcoullis is now on a visit to Lebanon. In her first day of the trip, she met several Lebanese officials. The FM was accompanied by Cyprus ambassador to Beirut, who told the daily that the minister would hold 16 meetings in these two days.