Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Ambassador Hale’s Remarks Following His Meeting with PM Salam

September 23, 2015
Good morning. Prime Minister Salam and I just met to discuss his upcoming trip to New York for the UN General Assembly opening and the ministerial meeting of the International Support Group for Lebanon. The ISG meeting once again demonstrates the international community's strong support for Lebanon's stability, sovereignty, and security.

For our part, America's support for the Lebanese army continues to deepen. I am very pleased to announce today that my government is allotting an additional $59 million for border security equipment for the army.

In addition, this week America received the latest, substantial transfer of funds from Saudi Arabia to purchase more U.S. equipment to help the LAF. These funds, combined with U.S. funding, will assist the Lebanese army to develop further a precision air force strike capability; we will announce the exact details as soon as they have been arranged. This latest transfer and project are yet another demonstration of the strong and effective partnership among Lebanon, America, and Saudi Arabia to improve the Lebanese army's capability to defend Lebanon's borders and people.

Whether through political support, military aid, or humanitarian assistance, America will stand by Lebanon. Only our actions are the standard by which to judge America's commitment to Lebanese stability. Those actions include an American investment of more than $1.3 billion in security assistance for Lebanon in the past 10 years. This year, Lebanon is the fifth largest recipient of U.S. foreign military financing. And Lebanon is also the fifth largest annual recipient of U.S. bilateral training for your military personnel. America has provided nearly $1 billion in humanitarian assistance to host communities and Syrian refugees in Lebanon since the tragic conflict in Syria began. And our bilateral development assistance for the last decade will also exceed one billion dollars, to help income generating opportunities, education, and provision of services such as water.

But when it comes to stability, there is no amount of foreign assistance or goodwill that can substitute for the stability that comes from good governance. That can only come from within. I know Lebanon's leaders are working to reactivate a functioning cabinet and to resume dialogue on the deeper issues. We welcome any such effort, and earlier this month we joined other members of the UN Security Council in reiterating that now is the time for parliament to meet and elect a president as soon as possible and to schedule parliamentary elections.

As I said several weeks ago, citizens everywhere look to the state to protect their right to free speech and assembly; and citizens everywhere have a responsibility to exercise their right peacefully and responsibly. And accountability is expected when either side transgresses rights or responsibilities. We support these universal rights, and urge adherence to these responsibilities across the world. America supports these values here in Lebanon and the principle of civil society's right to voice its views and frustrations, as does the Prime Minister. But the United States is in no way involved, directly or indirectly, in the civil society demonstrations, nor do we condone violence or the destruction of property.

We very much look forward to the Prime Minister's trip to New York and the opportunity to discuss with him ways the international community can be of further support for Lebanon and our shared goals of stability, security, and good governance.

Thank you.

Tuesday, September 08, 2015

Terrorist Designation of Samir Kuntar

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
September 8, 2015
The Department of State has designated Lebanese born Samir Kuntar as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. As a result of the designation, all property subject to U.S. jurisdiction in which Kuntar has any interest is blocked and U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with him or to his benefit.
In April 1979, Samir Kuntar participated in the attempted kidnapping of an Israeli family in Nahariya, Israel that resulted in the deaths of five Israelis, including two young children. Kuntar was convicted in an Israeli court for the murders. Kuntar was later released from prison in 2008 as part of a prisoner exchange.
On his return to Lebanon, Kuntar was welcomed by Hizballah, a U.S. Department of State-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, and he has since emerged as one of the group's most visible and popular spokesmen. Since Kuntar's return, he has also played an operational role, with the assistance of Iran and Syria, in building up Hizballah's terrorist infrastructure in the Golan Heights.

Readout of Secretary Kerry's Call with Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam

Media Note
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
September 8, 2015
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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called Prime Minister Tammam Salam today to discuss plans for the upcoming meeting of the International Support Group for Lebanon at the UN General Assembly in late September. The Secretary reaffirmed America's strong and continuing support for Prime Minister Salam's efforts to advance political consensus despite the challenging circumstances facing the country. He also stressed America's continued commitment to Lebanon's stability, security, and independence. The Secretary and the Prime Minister discussed the need for Parliament to convene and elect a President as soon as possible, in accordance with Lebanon's constitution and National Pact.

Friday, September 04, 2015

Ambassador Hale’s Statement Following Meeting with PM Salam

September 3, 2015 - Good afternoon. Prime Minister Salam and I met today to discuss the upcoming meeting of the International Support Group for Lebanon at the UN General Assembly later this month, and yesterday's discussion of Lebanon in the Security Council. It is safe to say that the international community's support for Lebanon's sovereignty, security and stability is as strong as ever.

We also discussed the challenges facing the government, especially in light of continued civil society demonstrations. We spoke about the importance of one of our shared core values, the right of free speech and assembly. Peaceful, non-violent protest is an integral part of our two nations' histories, and enshrined in both of our constitutions. The Prime Minister and I agree, it is a right that must be protected and respected, as it is essential for true stability in any society. Citizens everywhere look to the state to protect their right to free speech and assembly; and citizens everywhere have a responsibility to exercise their right peacefully and responsibly. Accountability is expected when either side transgresses rights or responsibilities.

The challenges facing Lebanon are serious: there are security, political, economic, and humanitarian problems, so many of them spilling over from the conflict in Syria. During these difficult times, Lebanon's people, leaders, and institutions should come together, not pull apart. Only by acting together in the national interest can these challenges be overcome for the sake of the Lebanese people.

America welcomes any efforts to reactivate a functioning government and cabinet. But there is a deeper issue. As the members of the UN Security Council reiterated yesterday, now is the time for parliament to meet and elect a president of the republic as soon as possible. America will continue to support the army and security services as institutions with one and only one objective in mind: the strengthening of the army's means to be the sole legitimate protector of Lebanon's people and borders, including from extremist threats. And we will continue to support the principle of civil society's right to voice its views and frustrations without taking sides. Although these problems can only be resolved by the Lebanese themselves, America stands ready to support Lebanon's institutions and the Lebanese people each step of the way. Thank you.