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US envoy says ‘page turned’ after meeting Lebanese FM

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by NAJIA HOUSSARI -- arabnews.com --BEIRUT: The summoning of US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea by Lebanese Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti on Monday turned into a protocol meeting. The foreign minister, who summoned Shea after she criticized Hezbollah, noted “the freedom of the media and the right of expression, which are sacred rights.” A statement issued by the two parties said: “We have openly discussed the current developments on the local scene. We touched on the bilateral relations that bring together the two countries and the Lebanese and American people, and we stressed the importance of cooperation between the two governments in all fields, in support of Lebanon to get out of the economic crisis that it is suffering from.” After the meeting, Ambassador Shea said: “My meeting with the (foreign) minister was positive, and I agreed with him to turn the page after the unfortunate judicial decision that came to deflect attention from the economic crisis. The United States is ready and will continue to assist Lebanon as long as the government takes the necessary steps to address the causes of the crisis.” She noted that her country “appreciates cooperation to advance our many common interests and our mutual goals in these particularly difficult times. I affirm that our bilateral relationship is strong and we will continue to provide everything that benefits the people of our two countries.”

Ambassador Shea said during an interview with Al-Hadath TV on Friday that “Hezbollah built a state within the state that drained Lebanon, and cost the Lebanese state billions of dollars that went to Hezbollah’s mini-state instead of the government treasury.” The meeting between Hitti and Shea was accompanied by a small group protesting against American interference in Lebanese affairs. The US envoy entered through a back door amid tight security measures taken by the Internal Security Forces in the vicinity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beirut.

U.S. ambassador appears on Lebanese TV despite court-imposed ban

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Lebanon's President Michel Aoun meets with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon June 11, 20

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanese media broadcast interviews with the U.S. ambassador on Sunday, ignoring a ruling by a judge who banned the diplomat from television for a year over remarks that criticised the powerful Shi'ite movement Hezbollah. Hezbollah is the main political force behind the Lebanese government. Washington considers the heavily armed pro-Iran movement to be a terrorist group. In an interview with Saudi-owned AlHadath television on Friday, U.S. ambassador Dorothy Shea said Hezbollah's behaviour was preventing Lebanon from properly dealing with a deep economic crisis. A Shi'ite judge in the southern city of Tyre ruled on Saturday that Shea's comments had incited sectarian strife, and banned broadcasting interviews with her for a year. State-owned National News Agency (NAA) said media that violate the ban would be fined $200,000. But the government has repudiated the court ruling, while criticising Shea over the remarks that had prompted it.

Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad tweeted that while she understood the judge's concerns about diplomats meddling in Lebanon's internal affairs "no one had the right to prevent the media from covering news, or to curb press freedoms". A Lebanese government official and a Western diplomatic source both said Shea had been summoned to the foreign ministry on Sunday. No further details were given. In one of several media appearances on Sunday, Shea told broadcaster MTV that a senior government official had assured her the court did not have the authority to order the ban, and that the government would take steps to reverse it. She described the ruling as a "really pathetic" attempt to silence the media, and said the government should focus more on implementing economic reforms. "I would suggest that we all try to put this chapter behind us," she said. (Reporting by Laila Bassam and Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Tom Perry and Peter Graff)

IMF chief’s fears over lack of progress in talks to solve Lebanon’s economic crisis

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by arabnews.com -- NAJIA HOUSSARI -- BEIRUT: The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has issued a doom-laden forecast over the outcome of crucial talks aimed at solving Lebanon’s financial woes. Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF’s managing director, said she did not “expect progress in the negotiations with the Lebanese officials” over helping the country out of its economic crisis. Former Lebanese Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud told Arab News: “What Georgieva said has already been stated for years by the International Support Group for Lebanon (ISG), but her declaration comes at a time when Lebanon is negotiating with the IMF.” Speaking on Friday, the IMF chief said: “IMF officials are still working with Lebanon, but it is not clear whether it is possible for the country’s leaders, active parties, and society to agree on implementing the reforms needed to stabilize the economy and boost economic growth.”

The financial meltdown in the country has seen the Lebanese pound lose 75 percent of its value over the past eight months. Georgieva pointed out that “the core challenge is to implement a set of very difficult but necessary reforms.” She said that the situation in Lebanon was “breaking her heart,” adding that it was a “country which has a strong culture of entrepreneurship, and is hosting refugees from Palestine and Syria to help alleviate a major humanitarian crisis.” Reaching an agreement with the IMF would require a strong commitment from the Lebanese government to implement a set of structural reforms in public institutions. The ISG has called for a prompt resolution to problems in the electricity sector, the issuance of a law that guarantees the independence of the judiciary, and new rules controlling public-sector purchasing and tendering by ministries, public institutions, councils, and municipalities. One of the most urgent issues for Lebanon is to restore the confidence of its citizens, the international community, and international financial institutions.

Lebanese judge bans media from interviewing US ambassador

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Lebanon US

BEIRUT (AP) SARAH EL DEEB — A Lebanese judge Saturday banned local and foreign media outlets in the country from interviewing the U.S. ambassador to Beirut for a year, calling a recent interview in which she criticized the powerful Hezbollah group seditious and a threat to social peace. The court decision reflected the rising tension between the U.S. and Hezbollah. It also revealed a widening rift among groups in Lebanon, which is facing the worst economic crisis in its modern history. Judge Mohamad Mazeh in the southern city of Tyre said he acted after receiving a complaint from a citizen who considered Ambassador Dorothy Shea’s comments to a Saudi-owned station “insulting to the Lebanese people.” Mazeh said Shea's comments incited sectarian strife and threatened social peace. The judge said while he can’t ban the ambassador from speaking, he can bar the media from interviewing her for a year. Mazeh made the decision on Saturday, the start of the weekend, saying the matter was urgent. The backlash was swift.

The private LBC TV station said it would appeal the ruling and called it a violation of media freedom. Critics of Hezbollah called it politicized. But others hailed the ban as “brave" on social media, saying Shea had crossed a line, interfering in Lebanon's internal affairs. Information Minister Manal Abdel-Samad wrote on Twitter the judiciary may be reacting to the interference of some diplomats in the country's affairs. However, “no one has the right to prevent the media from covering news or undermine press freedoms," she wrote. The judge’s ruling came a day after Shea told Saudi-owned TV station Al-Hadath that Washington has “great concerns” over Hezbollah’s role in the government. In her first response to the ruling, Shea called it “unfortunate" in a telephone interview with the local MTV station. “I think it is a distraction. I wish people would spend their time and attention trying to solve the problems facing the country," she said, adding that the Lebanese government had already apologized to her for the ruling. “So, no. The U.S. Embassy will not be silenced."

Gargash: Lebanon burned its bridges with the Gulf states

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190909 Anwar Gargash

Samir Salama, Associate Editor - gulfnews.com -- Abu Dhabi: Anwar Gargash, the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, has said that the UAE has repeatedly warned Lebanon against deteriorating relations with Gulf countries. “We have seen the accumulation of problems in Lebanon, and we have also seen a dictation of political discourse by Hezbollah, which already has an army inside the country,” the minister said. “If you burn your bridges, it will be very difficult for you to use the huge balance of goodwill and the huge balance of financial support that Lebanon needs.” In statements to CNBC, he added that the economic collapse that Lebanon is witnessing is very worrying, but Lebanon is responsible for the deterioration of its Arab relations and its Gulf relations over the past ten years, and it pays partially the price of that. He stressed that the UAE will not provide financial support, except in coordination with other countries. He explained, “If we see some of our friends and major powers interested in Lebanon working on a plan, we will think about it.”

The deterioration of the Lebanese economy has continued over the past months at dangerous rates, without showing any indications of obtaining regional or international support. The countries of the region and the world have distanced from it because of Hezbollah’s domination of the country’s capabilities, and its regional and international policies. Lebanon is suffering from the worst economic collapse in decades. Tens of thousands have lost their livelihood or part of their income due to the crisis that drove hundreds of thousands to take to the streets on October 17, disgruntled at the political class. As the Lebanese economy continues to deteriorate, there are no indications that it has obtained any regional or international support.

In Baabda, Suleiman Criticizes Hizbullah and PSP Rejects Economic Unity with Syria

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by Naharnet -- A memo was submitted Thursday to the Baabda dialogue meeting by the representative of the Progressive Socialist Party and the Democratic Gathering, MP Taymour Jumblat. Jumblat left the meeting after delivering brief remarks and presenting the memo. The memo rejects "reviving the 'unity of tracks' theory, this time from the gate of the economy." "Lebanon cannot withstand the economy of two states," it says. Noting that proposals for "developing economic ties with China are worthy of studying and follow-up," the memo welcomes "any serious Chinese suggestions to build a new power plant in Lebanon." Commenting on Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's call for "turning to the East" economically, the memo rejects "linking Lebanon to states and regimes that are outside the international system, some which are going in the opposite direction of the movement of history."

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Former President Michel Suleiman lashed out at Hizbullah and the Resistance during the “national unity meeting” in Baabda, which prompted a reply from Hizbullah Loyal to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammed Raad, and Deputy Parliament Speaker Elie Ferzli, media reports said on Thursday. “Hizbullah has broken the agreements, which prevented the implementation of the state's pledges, caused its deadly isolation, made it lose its credibility and the confidence of friendly countries and Lebanese living abroad, made it lose investors, depositors and tourists, which have all contributed to the decline of the national currency,” said Suleiman. Raad and Ferzli made a prompt reply according to reports defending the Resistance and its weapons. Raad also criticized the Baabda Declaration which seeks to maintain Lebanon's neutrality regarding regional conflicts. The Baabda Declaration, approved during a national dialogue session in June 2012, calls for Lebanon to disassociate itself from regional conflicts.

US, UAE warn Lebanese government over Hezbollah ties

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By NAJIA HOUSSARI -- arabnews.com -- Beirut : The US and UAE have warned Lebanon about maintaining ties with Hezbollah, as the country’s president convened a meeting to bring together political parties with the aim of “fortifying civil peace.” Lebanon’s domestic turmoil rocketed last year, with street protests, high-profile resignations and financial chaos. A new government, led by Prime Minister Hassan Diab, was formed in January. But there have been concerns about its composition as the majority of its ministers belong to Hezbollah and its allies. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters on Wednesday that the US was prepared to communicate with any Lebanese government that carried out real reform, telling a press conference that the world would act in the interest of Lebanon if this was achieved, and if the government operated in a way that was not “beholden to” Hezbollah. “Lebanon’s financial crisis is rooted in decades of state corruption and waste,” he added.

The UAE’s minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, went one step further in his assessment of the country’s plight. “Lebanon is paying the price of deteriorating ties with wealthy Gulf Arab states as it struggles to cope with a deep economic crisis,” he said in an interview. He regarded Lebanon’s economic meltdown as “very worrying” and said that the UAE would only consider offering financial support in concert with other states. “If we see some of our friends and the major powers interested in Lebanon and working in a plan, we will consider that. But until now, what we are really seeing here is a deterioration of Lebanon’s Arab relations and Gulf relations over the past 10 years. Lebanon is partly paying the price for that right now.”