The Lebanese newspaper, Al-Akhbar, reported on Wednesday that Lebanon’s embassy in Washington sent a confidential cable to the Lebanese authorities in which it rejects inviting Syria to the Arab Economic Summit scheduled to be held in Beirut on January 19 and 20.

Washington also threatened to impose sanctions against Lebanon in case it participates in Syria reconstruction, according to the cable as reported by Al-Akbar daily.

Al-Akhbar added that the US attitude conveyed to the Lebanese side via the US embassy in Beirut and the Lebanese embassy in Washington, pointing out that it received a copy of the secret cable mentioned above.

Al-Akhbar also reported that the Lebanese foreign minister Gebran Bassil informed US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, David Hale, during the latter’s visit to Beirut that Lebanon is concerned with participating in Syria reconstruction program and that Washington has to take this into consideration.

Source: Al-Akhbar Newspaper (Translated and edited by Al-Manar English Website Staff)