The Government of Cyprus welcomes the announcement of a US-mediated agreement to settle the maritime dispute between Israel and Lebanon. This very important development is expected to contribute to the creation of conditions of stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean region.Cyprus, having concluded Exclusive Economic Zone delimitation agreements with Egypt and Israel and having signed a Delimitation Agreement with Lebanon, believes that the settlement of the issue will strengthen the legal framework for cooperation in the region, particularly in the field of energy, on the basis of international law and in particular the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Cyprus further hopes that this positive development will give additional momentum to the efforts to settle the delimitations of maritime boundaries in the Eastern Mediterranean and to exploit its energy wealth, at a particularly critical juncture for regional and European energy security and security of energy supply. Maritime boundaries delimitation agreements are very important legal instruments for deepening regional cooperation, providing for, inter alia, the necessary legal certainty to state and non-state actors, including to investors. Taking into consideration that the agreement on the Israel-Lebanon maritime border directly concerns a section of approximately 9 nautical miles (approximately 17 kilometres) on the Cyprus-Israel and Cyprus-Lebanon delimitation lines, the Cyprus Government has requested, via diplomatic channels, from the governments of the two friendly neighbouring countries notification and consultation on the agreement reached on the basis of the existing delimitation agreements. The Government of Cyprus congratulates the Governments of Lebanon and Israel for their determination to resolve the dispute, as well as the US for its catalytic and successful mediation.