BEIRUT: Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil warned other Mediterranean countries against encroaching on Lebanon’s maritime borders and resources as they prepare to begin a gas pipeline project.
The 2,000-kilometer pipeline project that will link Israel, Cyprus, Greece and Italy and carry natural gas is planned to link the Mediterranean gas resources to Europe. The $7 billion pipeline would start about 170 kilometers off Cyprus' southern coast and reach Otranto, Italy, via Crete and the Greek mainland.
It will have the capacity to carry up to 20 billion cubic meters of gas yearly.
According to a statement released Thursday by Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry, Bassil sent a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini and the Italian, Cyprus and Greek foreign ministers.