NNA - House Speaker Nabih Berri and Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati have reached the offshore Transocean Barents drilling rig in Block 9, accompanied by Energy Minister Walid Fayad and Transport Minister Ali Hamie.

They were transferred from the Beirut International Airport aboard a helicopter belonging to TotalEnergies.

"In this darkness comes a day of joy for which I have worked for long years until the framework agreement was concluded," said Berri from the airport, hoping that Lebanon's offshore wealth will start generating revenues within few months, which, according to him, "will constitute the beginning of overcoming the economic crisis Lebanon and its people are enduring." Berri also hoped the Lebanese will reach an agreement over the election of a president of the republic.

For his part, Mikati said he is hopeful that the upcoming days will bring promising signs to help Lebanon address the many crises sweeping it. "We hope that everybody will cooperate in the upcoming stage in order to revive our country and end the deterioration that we are witnessing on all levels," he said.

"It is a day for the nation and a bright page in history.

=============R.A.H.