Political impediments to gas and energy procurement in Lebanon

Report by Yazbek Wehbe, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine

 

A clear link between politics and security and any progress in the file of gas and energy procurement from Egypt and Jordan was expressed by US envoy Amos Hochstein during his meeting with Energy Minister Walid Fayyad at the airport on Monday.

Hochstein plainly stated: "Before securing sustainable calm in the south and stopping the fighting and reforming state institutions and electing a president, there will be no developments in this file."

According to his circles, Fayyad understood that the problem is not technical but political. In turn, the US mediator stressed the necessity of separating what is happening in Gaza from Lebanon and not involving politics in any economic or technical file that concerns the people. 

 

Especially since Lebanon has overcome most obstacles in this file with the World Bank, mainly the financial aspect, and now sees that the hurdles are purely political.

 

Legally, Lebanon has also completed its file, and signing with Syria and Egypt was done during the past two years, as well as with Jordan. 

 

Considerations were made in accordance with the Caesar Act, as any funds will not be paid to Syria in exchange for the passage of Egyptian gas to Lebanon and Jordanian electricity, but only the transportation cost through a percentage of the gas, eight percent, deducted by Syria as a fee for the passage of Egyptian gas through its territories. 

 

Legal sources monitoring the file do not see this matter as a violation of the Caesar Act.