Berri Tells Schenker Lebanon Can’t Withstand Economic Pressure

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday told a visiting U.S. official that Lebanon cannot withstand Washington’s growing economic pressure.

“Lebanon has ratified financial laws that make it compliant with the highest international standards in the field of combating the smuggling and laundering of funds,” Berri told U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker.

“The Lebanese economy and the banking sector cannot withstand this magnitude of pressures,” Berri added, referring to the latest U.S. measures against suspected Hizbullah financial transactions.

Berri also emphasized Lebanon’s “keenness on stability, avoidance of war and commitment to U.N. resolutions, especially 1701,” noting that Israel is “responsible for the violations of the U.N. resolution and the undermining of the stability that had been running since 2006.”

The two men also discussed the issue the maritime border dispute between Lebanon and Israel.