During a visit to Lebanon, U.S. Deputy Assistant of State for Energy Diplomacy Amos Hochstein met with Speaker Nabih Berri, Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil and other officials including Prime Minister Tammam Salam and Energy and Water Minister Arthur Nazarian to discuss the pending maritime dispute with Israel. Lebanon and Israel both claim an area of 850 square kilometers as their own. Lebanese officials hope that US and UN mediation will help demarcate territorial waters. The disputed triangle is believed to hold substantial amounts of natural gas.