Gebran Bassil

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Bassil visits Cyprus; warns country could be jihadi transit

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(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil held a meeting with Cyprus’ president, Nicos Anastasiades, to discuss Lebanese-Cypriot relations on Wednesday during Bassil’s brief visit to the island.

Bassil says more attention should be paid to the possibility of Cyprus becoming a gateway for foreign jihadis to transit in and out of the Middle East.

A Cypriot security official said last week that Cyprus has already stepped up screening efforts across the island’s dividing line to prevent Europeans from passing through en route to Syria.

Cyprus’ president says he was glad to meet with Bassil and tackle the region’s issues, “especially the ones related to international terrorism.”

“Cyprus supports the Lebanese army as well as the efforts to support the Syrian refugees in Lebanon and its further actions to strengthen the relations between Lebanon and the EU,” said Anastasiades.

Bassil also met with his foreign ministry counterpart Ioannis Kasoulidis, where they reportedly discussed the discovery of hydrocarbon reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean.

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Bassil: Lebanon needs support of expatriates

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil called on the support of the Lebanese diaspora on Sunday, saying when it comes to elections or the economy, Lebanese expatriates should help.

“Elections in Lebanon can’t happen without the participation of expats,” Bassil said during a conference held in the Rotana Beach Hotel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Bassil called for granting Lebanese citizenship to second generation expatriates and launching electronic voting options for Lebanese living abroad.

The foreign minister says opening these opportunities for Lebanese communities would make them more likely to invest in Lebanon’s economic sectors.

“Lebanese abroad can compensate for the failure of the government in building a strong state, and contribute to the revival of its economy,” he said.

Bassil also called on emigrants to market local products in their host countries, especially Lebanon’s apples and wine.

Bassil announced that he will host a conference for Lebanese immigrants on March 21, saying that the event seeks to build bridges between Lebanon’s residents and Lebanese living abroad.

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Netherlands to give $3.2M to Lebanese Army

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — The Netherlands will give $3.2 million worth of weapons to the Lebanese Army, said Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil during a meeting with the Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans on Monday.

Bassil also announced that Lebanon and the Netherlands would be collaborating at a legal level.

“We have agreed to form a common working group to follow up on the International Criminal Court’s case on the massacres committed by ISIS and the Nusra Front,” Bassil said on Twitter.

“We discussed how to fight terrorism in the region, we also discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries and how to develop them,” he added.

He also said he will meet with the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor Fato Bensouda on this matter.

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 City Beat, Los Angeles, News

Gebran Bassil meets with Armenians in CA, NV

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(LOS ANGELES, CA) — The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western US Central Committee led a delegation, headed by its chairman Dr. Viken Hovsepian, to welcome Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil who was visiting Los Angeles over the weekend.

During a reception on Saturday at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel, hosted by the Lebanese Consulate General to Los Angeles, members of the delegation had the opportunity to welcome Bassil.

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Pictured from left: Ghazaros Ghazarossian, Harry Nadjarian, Maya Ibrahim and Consul General Johnny Ibrahim, Chantal Aoun-Bassil, Toros Kechejian, Foreign Minister Gibran Bassil, Harout Madenlian, ARF Western US Central Committee chairman Chair Dr Viken Hovsepian, Karo Khanjian, Varouj Ourfalian, Hovig Bedevian. Photo courtesy Asbarez Armenian Daily News.

Bassil also visited the Saint Garabed Armenian Apostolic Church in Las Vegas, Nevada. See photos below:

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 City Beat, Los Angeles, News

Bassil encourages Lebanese-Americans to invest in Lebanon

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bassil(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — During a trip to Los Angeles, California, Gebran Bassil spoke to a group of Lebanese citizens and Americans of Lebanese descent, saying it was their duty to purchase investments and Lebanese goods.

“We encourage you to invest overseas but to also dedicate some profits to investing in Lebanon through the ‘We Invest to Stay’ project,” he said.

The project intends to financially support Lebanese expatriates who invest in their countries of residence, on the condition of moving 20 percent of their investment onto Lebanon’s economy.

He also called on them to encourage their families in Lebanon to insist on staying in their homeland, “so that we do not become all emigrants without any land.”

Underlining the importance of preserving cultural heritage, Bassil called on the expatriates to stick to their native language, and disclosed a plan to draft a “Lebanese expatriate school” model, in collaboration with the Education Ministry.

See photos of his Los Angeles visit below:

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Bassil, Kerry discuss Lebanon terror threats in Paris

(PARIS, FRANCE) — Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil met for a meeting with United States Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday to discuss the role Lebanon would play as part of a global coalition to fight terror in the Middle East.

The meeting was during a Paris conference on peace and stability, where both Bassil and Kerry are attending. The two discussed “circumstances and factors” that shape Lebanon’s role in the war against terror, according to sources.

During a meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia last week, the U.S won backing from 10 Arab countries, including Lebanon, for a coalition to fight the Sunni militants who have seized parts of Iraq and Syria.

Bassil held talks with several other foreign ministers at the conference, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Italian Foreign Minister Frederica Mogherini, who is expected to assume her post as the new EU foreign policy chief this fall.

Sources say the meeting lasted 25-minutes and was “positive” and “cooperative.”

According to sources, the meeting touched on all issues related to Lebanon, but especially focused on the war on terror and the Islamic State’s impact on Lebanon. Kerry also pledged continued aid to the Lebanese Army.

French President Francois Hollande also pledged support to the Lebanese Army and underlined the need to preserve Lebanon’s unity, security and sovereignty in light of ISIS threats.

Addressing the foreign ministers of more than 24 states during the International Conference on Peace and Security in Iraq, Bassil outlined immediate, short term- and long-term measures required to effectively and efficiently counter terrorism.

“Lebanon has been a pioneer in the fight against sectarianism and terrorism and its troops have every single time proven their professionalism and patriotism,” Bassil said.

According to Bassil, time was pressing on weakening ISIS’ impact.

“There is a need to act collectively and swiftly,” he said.

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Gebran Bassil to meet with John Kerry in Saudi Arabia

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil is scheduled to travel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to attend talks on joint action against the Islamic State (IS) group, a cabinet minister said.

The minister, who remained unidentified, told al-Liwaa newspaper in remarks published Wednesday that Bassil will attend a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and nine Arab states in addition to Turkey.

Kerry is seeking to build a broad coalition against jihadists in Iraq and Syria that has already won support from Arab nations.

The talks coincide with a much-touted address from President Barack Obama at the White House, where he will outline a strategy to confront IS and address criticism that he has been slow to respond to a wave of atrocities that has shocked the world.

Islamic extremists overran the Lebanese border town of Arsal last month, killing and capturing a number of soldiers and police officers.

The fighting between Lebanese troops and the militants was the most serious spillover yet of Syria’s conflict into the neighboring country.

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Lebanon files United Nations complaint over Israeli actions

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanon filed a complaint with the United Nations Security Council on Thursday against Israel over bombarding southern villages in retaliation for rockets fired by “outlaws.”

“Upon receiving the required documents from the Army’s leadership and the Defense Ministry, the Foreign Ministry advanced a complaint against Israel in the Security Council over the dangerous and various Israeli violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty and of the Security Council Resolution 1701,” a statement read.

The statement added that 516 Israeli violations to Lebanese territorial sovereignty had been recorded during the first five months of 2014.

The Foreign Ministry condemned the Israel offense on Gaza in the statement, saying that “Lebanon considers that launching rockets against the occupied Palestinian territories by some outlaw individuals or some margin groups is a condemned act.”

Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil had pledged to take such action earlier this week, saying that neither the rocket launching nor the Israeli retaliatory acts were acceptable.

U.N. Special Coordinator to Lebanon Derek Plumbly had condemned both the rocket attacks on Israel and the Israeli retaliatory action, saying that UNIFIL launched an investigation to prevent their recurrence.

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Bassil calls for free trade pact with Brazil

gebran-bassil-ani(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil called for an increase in Lebanese exports to Brazil on Saturday, urging other South American countries to adopt free trade agreements with Lebanon during his visit to Brazil.

“Lebanon’s exports are in 11th place out of Arab countries exporting goods to Brazil, instead of being the first, considering the country exports its most valuable resource – which is you,” Bassil told an audience of Lebanese diaspora during a luncheon with the Brazilian Chamber of Commerce.

He left Beirut on Tuesday for the outreach trip.

Bassil said Lebanon exports a meager $2 million or good annually to Brazil, compared with $360 billion from the entire Arab world.

Bassil discussed the issue of flights between Lebanon and Brazil with the Brazilian foreign minister, suggesting that Brazilian airlines begin direct flights to Lebanon.

“The Arab- Brazilian Chamber of Commerce should encourage the movement of trade and exports between Lebanon and Brazil, in cooperation with embassies and consulates and concerned ministries, especially the Economy and Trade Ministry,” Bassil said.

Bassil is in Brazil to discuss relations between the two countries, meet members of the Lebanese diaspora, and watch the World Cup final games.

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Bassil: More Lebanese in Brazil than Lebanon

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanese Foreign Affairs Minister Gebran Bassil said it was his duty to visit Lebanese immigrants in Brazil on Wednesday because their population doubles the Lebanese population in number.

“The number of Lebanese in Brazil is two-times the number in Lebanon. Therefore, it is my duty to visit them on a regular basis and connect them with Lebanon to strengthen economic and political ties between Lebanon and Brazil,” Bassil told Brazilian magazine Estada Sao Paolo.

He said his visit to Brazil was due to the recent Expatriate Energy Conference in Lebanon. He also expressed hope that Brazil would offer Lebanon assistance in combating terrorism.

The minister is also expected to meet Beto Richa, the Governor of the Brazilian state of Paran, which hosts the largest Lebanese community.

When asked whether he would watch the Wold Cup 2014 matches, Bassil replied, “Of course, how could anyone be in Brazil at such timing and miss it?

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