U.S. Delegation Meets Senior Officials, Stresses Support for Lebanon
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Diplomacy Amos Hochstein and Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Lawrence Silverman visited Lebanon Monday and met with senior officials to discuss the political, economic and security situation in Lebanon and other regional issues, said the U.S. Embassy in a statement.
They had meetings with President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Najib Miqati, and Minister of Energy Jebran Bassil.
In their meetings, Hochstein and Silverman expressed their support for the Lebanese government’s efforts to implement fair and transparent regulations for Lebanon’s energy sector, and discussed Lebanon’s maritime Exclusive Economic Zone.
“They commended the Lebanese government and the generosity of the Lebanese people for hosting and supporting a growing number of Syrian refugees who have fled the brutal violence of the Assad regime,” said the embassy statement.
They further underscored the United States’ commitment to assist refugees from Syria and the Lebanese communities that host them.
To date the United States has provided $385 million in humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees in Syria and neighboring countries, of which $51 million has been provided for refugees in Lebanon, and $115 million in non-lethal support to the Syrian opposition.
Hochstein and Silverman noted that the United States has urged all nations who pledged support at the Kuwait conference to disburse their pledged funds to the United Nations, noting that the United States’ pledge of $155 million has already been disbursed.
They also welcomed the efforts of Lebanese leaders to reach consensus and uphold Lebanon’s democratic and constitutional principles and hold parliamentary elections on time.
They further called for all parties to exercise restraint and respect for Lebanon’s stability and security.
They renewed the United States’ commitment to a stable, sovereign and independent Lebanon.
11 March 2013, 08:53
10
u mean he is coming to pay some people to keep doing what they r doing??
11 March 2013, 09:21
27
Here come the Zionists ... What will Lebanon be forced to swallow now?
11 March 2013, 09:30
35
the delegation will include Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for the Bureau of Near East Affairs Lawrence Silverman and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Diplomacy at the U.S. Department of State Amos Hochstein. Please realise that these two are Zionist Jews and that the idiots receiving them should know that. On the other hand why should Lebanon has such huge presidential PALACE? ... Banana Indebted Republic
11 March 2013, 13:35
23
Lol - 2 Jews: Hochstein & Silverman. Everything that happens int eh country moving forward has to do with our Natural Resources particulalry our GAS fields! Lebanon has more Gas than anybody in the Middle East!
11 March 2013, 16:35
22
the visit is for the americans to position themselves for oil and gas exploration. It is the first time that the lebanese state has something that western countries want, first time we are courted by the US. It is the first time that the lebanese protagonists are doing an electoral law without foreign -syrian- interference. who cares if they are jews or buddhists? this is good for lebanon so stop the nagging.
11 March 2013, 18:09
21
What happened to the Oil Board made up of 6 or 7 experts in the field and earning a good sum for salaries. Shouldn't they be the ones evaluating and negotiating all contracts away from political influences? Of course with guidance from the ones on the top.
11 March 2013, 23:31
10
so, no meeting with mansour the supposed number one 'diplomat' in Lebanon? I am shocked!!
