Sanctions Jitters over Walles-Salameh Meeting

by Naharnet Newsdesk over 12 years

A meeting between U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jake Walles and Central Bank governor Riyad Salameh has led to fears that the U.S. would adopt sanctions against Lebanon, An Nahar daily reported on Sunday.

The newspaper said the meetings between Walles and Salameh in addition to President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri and Premier Najib Miqati have “jittered” the Lebanese banking sector.

It quoted sources as saying that this “jitter” stirred fears about possible sanctions.

During his two-day visit to Beirut earlier this week, Walles urged the officials to honor Lebanon’s international obligations, including the funding of the international tribunal probing the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Walles discussed with senior Lebanese officials “the political, security, and economic situation in Lebanon, as well as the current situation in Syria,” the U.S. embassy said in a statement.

In his meetings, Walles “underscored the need for Lebanon to meet all of its international obligations, including cooperating with and funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon,” the statement said.

Comments 4

Bob 3aww (Guest) over 12 years

Time to teach the world a Rabieh-lesson.The Generalissimo has to wage yet another word war against the corrupt West.

Robilio (Guest) over 12 years

Sanctions, US IDIOTS, will only hurt the poor Lebanese (and most of them already are) while the rich, and they are mostly the corrupt and almost all those who are known as politicians, will not be affected. So nothing will change, and the US will cause further impoverishment of the poor, who remain ignored. HOPELESS, US IDIOTS, HOPELESS.

John from Koura (Guest) over 12 years

Someone needs to tell the fallen American empire that Lebanon will follow "international obligations" when Israel does the same because Lebanon is no longer a western colony.

geha over 12 years

it seems the post that Naharnet censored is now an official threat.
the banking system will be the target by the international community, which will dissolve the country totally.