A top U.S. State Department official visiting Lebanon said Tuesday that the new government in Beirut needs to make tough decisions as it tackles widespread corruption and a crumbling economy, in addition to ongoing security issues.
David Satterfield, acting assistant secretary of the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, said Washington is looking to support the Lebanese people as they move their country forward, but warned against increased Iranian influence.
The eight-year war in neighboring Syria has deepened Lebanon’s economic woes, which include high unemployment, meager growth and a soaring public debt of $85 billion, or 155 percent of the gross domestic product. Some 1 million Syrian refugees make up a quarter of Lebanon’s population.
Satterfield met with Hariri on Tuesday along with Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil and the leader of the right-wing Christian Phalange party, Sami Gemayel.
In January, Lebanese political factions agreed to form a new government after the country’s first parliamentary elections in nine years.
The U.S. has expressed concerns about Hezbollah naming a health minister and two other posts in Lebanon’s Cabinet and called on the new government to ensure the ministries’ resources do not provide support to the organization.
Following talks with Bassil, Satterfield said the United States truly hopes that Lebanon will take positive decisions that solely serve its own interests and not that of foreign parties, National News Agency reported .
He added that Lebanon now has a new government to take sensitive decisions related to the country’s economy, security and combating corruption,.
Satterfield ‘s visit is the first by a U.S. diplomat of this level after the formation of Lebanon’s government.
The U.S. diplomat, the last in charge of the controversial maritime border file between Lebanon and Israel, is coming to Beirut this time after the Warsaw Conference that was dedicated to promote sanctions against Hezbollah’s backer Iran.
His visit reportedly aims to pave the way for a future visit by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that is aimed at looking into the latest developments in Lebanon following the U.S. sanctions against Hezbollah, according to media reports
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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