BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon has received a final draft of a U.S.-mediated maritime border deal with Israel that satisfies all of Lebanon's requirements and could imminently lead to a "historic deal," Lebanese lead negotiator Elias Bou Saab told Reuters.


"If everything goes well, Amos Hochstein's efforts could imminently lead to a historic deal," Bou Saab said minutes after receiving the draft from Hochstein, the U.S. official engaged in months of shuttle diplomacy to try to end the dispute.


While limited in scope, an agreement would ease security and economic concerns in both countries, whose shared history is rife with conflict.


The deal would resolve a territorial dispute in the eastern tip of the Mediterranean sea in an area where Lebanon aims to explore for natural gas, and near waters where Israel has already found commercially viable quantities of hydrocarbons.


Hezbollah, a Lebanese political party and militia backed by Iran, has threatened to use force against Israel should Israel explore for gas near the disputed area before Lebanon is allowed to do so in its own maritime zone.


"We received minutes ago the final draft... Lebanon felt that it takes into consideration all of Lebanon's requirements and we believe that the other side should feel the same," Bou Saab said.


Israel's official view of the latest draft of the deal was not immediately clear.


Israel last week rejected last-minute amendments to the deal by Lebanon that briefly appeared to jeopardize longstanding efforts to reach an agreement.


Officials from both countries were in close contact via the U.S. mediator over the past days in an effort to resolve outstanding differences.


Lebanon's President said that a deal would not signify a "partnership" with Israel, a country Lebanon does not recognize and officially regards as an enemy.


"We are avoiding a sure-fire war in the region," Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said last week.