WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Jim Risch (R-ID), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement on the International Monetary Fund mission to Syria and Lebanon:
“With the recent conclusion of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission to Syria and Lebanon for discussions on financial and governance reforms, we applaud the efforts to move away from the corrupt terror financing of the past towards enacting policies that will allow for a more prosperous economic future for the people of Syria and Lebanon.
“For Syria, this is a promising step in the right direction. Significant work lies ahead to overcome the challenges of decades of war and isolation. We applaud Syrian authorities on their engagement with the IMF and encourage them to use this opportunity that follows sanctions relief to serve the needs of the Syrian people.
“For Lebanon, President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Speaker of the Parliament Nahbi Berri must prioritize the quick passage of financial reforms, in particular the bank resolution law that is now before the parliament. As the government of Lebanon moves forward with a bank restructuring strategy, it is imperative that it works closely with the IMF and trusted financial institutions to restore the legitimacy and transparency of the banking sector.
“For too long, Iran exploited both Syria and Lebanon to fund its destructive agenda in the Middle East, bankrupting and endangering both societies. Today, political leaders in both countries have expressed a desire to return government to its proper role as the sole security and basic service providers for their people and to end Iran’s destabilizing influence. Now is the time to turn these opportunities into action.”
###