Macron vows to follow up French energy giant Total's oil exploration in Lebanon

BEIRUT -- French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday promised to follow up French energy giant Total's oil and gas exploration in Lebanon to ensure its continuous work, a statement by Lebanon's Presidency reported.

"You can count on Total's commitments; I will follow up on the matter," Macron said in a phone call with his Lebanese counterpart Michel Aoun.

The leaders of Lebanon and Israel announced Tuesday that the two countries had agreed to resolve a decades-long dispute over their maritime boundary in the eastern Mediterranean. On Thursday, Aoun announced Lebanon's approval of the final version of the agreement proposed by the U.S. energy envoy Amos Hochstein to demarcate maritime borders with Israel.

The agreement, a copy of which was seen by Xinhua, grants Total exploration rights at the Qana gas field. According to the agreement, Qana would be located mostly inside Lebanon, although Total will share some profits with Israel.

For his part, President Aoun emphasized the importance of signing the border demarcation agreement in order to begin drilling operations and then the extraction of oil and gas.

"This will have a positive impact on Lebanon's stability and the revival of the economy amid the current tough circumstances," he said.