LATVIA: NO NEW AID AT LEBANON DONOR CONFERENCE

UNCLAS RIGA 000686 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREL LE LG SUBJECT: LATVIA: NO NEW AID AT LEBANON DONOR CONFERENCE REF: STATE 139903 ¶1. (SBU) Pol/econ off met on August 25 with Signe Jansone, MFA A/S-level official responsible for the Middle East to deliver demarche on Latvian attendance and financial commitments at the August 31 Stockholm Donor Conference on Lebanon. She said that the Latvian delegation will be headed by Maija Monika, MFA U/S for Economic Issues. Jansone stated that at this time Latvia does not plan to commit to any new financial assistance to Lebanon in Stockholm, but that the decision may be reviewed early next week. She noted that Latvia sent 40,000 Lats (roughly 73,000 USD) worth of humanitarian supplies to Lebanon earlier, and that Latvia's attendance in Stockholm is meant to show their political support for the assistance efforts. Jansone added that the MFA is looking to see if some Latvian businesses might be interested in exploring opportunities for longer-term reconstruction projects in Lebanon. ANTWEILER