4 Arab international locations have agreed on a street map to supply Egyptian natural gas to Lebanon via Jordan and Syria throughout a ministerial assembly in Amman on Sept. 8. In addition they authorized a plan to provide Jordanian electrical energy at a later stage to energy-starved Lebanon via Syrian territory.
The ministerial assembly was attended by Jordan’s Minister of Vitality and Mineral Sources Hala Zawati, Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Sources Tarek El Molla, Syrian Minister of Oil and Mineral Sources Bassam Tohme and Lebanese Minister of Vitality and Water Raymond Ghajar.
Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea first expressed US support for the proposal in a telephone name to President Michel Aoun, in accordance with an Aug. 19 assertion from the Lebanese presidency. An knowledgeable supply who requested anonymity instructed Al-Monitor that the concept was recommended by King Abdullah of Jordan throughout his go to to the White Home final July.
In the course of the Amman assembly, Zawati introduced that Lebanon might be equipped with fuel from Egypt through an current pipeline that passes via Jordan, Syria and Lebanon as quickly because the Syrian authorities rehabilitates its part of the pipeline. Ghajar stated that the Egyptian gas will enable Lebanon to generate sufficient electrical energy to offer Lebanese households with 4 hours of energy a day. He added that Lebanon is involved with the World Financial institution to finance the price of Egyptian fuel.
Syria’s Minister of Electrical energy Ghassan Al Zamel was quoted by Syria’s Al Wattan newspaper on Sept. 7 as saying that the electric grid in southern Syria would cost $3.5 million to rehabilitate.
The Amman assembly was seen as a diplomatic breakthrough for the Syrian authorities, which has been politically remoted from most Arab international locations because the eruption of the Syrian rebellion in 2011.
Abdullah has advocated for a new diplomatic approach to Syria to deal with the struggling of the Syrian individuals after greater than a decade of conflict and sanctions, the regional disaster of Syrian refugees and the fact that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad appears set to retain energy for the foreseeable future.
Along with his White Home assembly with US President Joe Biden in July, the king flew to Moscow on Aug. 23 and met with President Vladimir Putin to debate the Syrian battle.
That each Amman and Cairo took steps towards implementing the US-backed proposal has sparked discussions of a potential shift in Syria coverage, sparked by Lebanon’s financial disaster. America has imposed sanctions on events coping with Syria via the Caesar Act, however Al-Monitor’s supply stated that Abdullah was assured that the Biden administration can waive sanctions on sure dealings with the Syrian regime.
Hezbollah Secretary-Basic Hassan Nasrallah introduced Aug. 14 that Iran was ready to send oil tankers to Lebanon to assist finish the fuel crisis. America hopes to derail Nasrallah’s try to make Lebanon extra depending on Tehran.
A high-level Lebanese ministerial delegation visited Damascus on Sept. 4, for the primary time in 10 years, to ask for approval to provide Lebanon with Egyptian fuel and Jordanian electrical energy. Syria was fast to say it was prepared to assist.
Former Jordanian Minister of Transport Malek Haddad stated that the Amman assembly is a step towards exempting Jordan from sanctions under the Caesar Act. He wrote for Ammaonnews.internet on Sept. 9 that doing so would assist Jordan resume commerce ties with Syria and allow it to take part in its reconstruction.
However past the financial influence, Jordan hopes that normalization with Syria will result in Russia and the US reengaging to discover a political settlement to the Syrian battle. The shared purpose, in accordance with Al-Monitor’s supply, is to lure Assad away from Iran, a objective additionally within the pursuits of Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and Israel.
Jordan and Egypt share the view that it is very important convey Iraq and Syria again to the Arab fold. The 2 international locations have shaped an economic bloc with Iraq in what Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi known as “a brand new Levant,” and the door was left open for Syria to hitch sooner or later. Washington helps this new bloc, which can distance Baghdad from Tehran, amongst different issues.
On the identical day because the Amman assembly, Syrian authorities forces entered the previous metropolis of Daraa within the south after weeks of siege. Russia negotiated a deal with the rebels to finish the siege and permit authorities troops to enter the town peacefully. Now that the Syrian authorities had recaptured Daraa, implementing the fuel deal can be potential. The recapture of the Daraa province by Syrian authorities forces is essential to facilitating the passage of Egyptian fuel and later Jordanian electrical energy to Lebanon. Daraa province is a significant a part of the fuel pipeline that goes all the best way to Lebanon.
Specialists consider it can take just a few months for the pure fuel to circulation via Syrian and Lebanese territory.
