Khazen

Donors pledge 253 million euros in emergency aid for Lebanon after blast |  Reuters

By Naharnet –– The United States and the European Union are reportedly expected to discuss the controversial situation in Lebanon during a virtual meeting on Monday, Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on Saturday. The daily quoted prominent sources who said the meeting will be held through a ‘Zoom’ meeting on Monday, and will address the “Lebanese file in terms of assessing the situation, in preparation for taking appropriate measures.” The source added on condition of anonymity, that interlocutors have “impositions of sanctions” as one of the options on the table, and will discuss “imposing joint sanctions on parties obstructing the formation of a government in Lebanon.” Last week, shuttle diplomacy has been active in Lebanon in a bid to assess the political situation amid failed efforts of Lebanese leaders to form a much-needed government capable of steering the country out of multiple crises. Ambassadors of the United States, France and Saudi Arabia met with Lebanon’s top leaders last week. The PM-designate Saad Hariri made several trips abroad recently in a bid to ease the government deadlock. Nidaa el-Watan, said that according to diplomatic reports, France obtained information that “Hizbullah is seriously working to destroy the French initiative by aggravating disputes between President Michel Aoun and Hariri.”