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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Funds pledged for Lebanon summit | Funds pledged for Lebanon summit |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Senior international officials are gathering in Paris for a major donors' conference to help rebuild Lebanon. | Senior international officials are gathering in Paris for a major donors' conference to help rebuild Lebanon. |
| Ahead of the summit the United States and France pledged $1.4bn (£711m; 1.08bn euros) in aid and loans. | Ahead of the summit the United States and France pledged $1.4bn (£711m; 1.08bn euros) in aid and loans. |
| Lebanon hopes to raise up to $9bn (£4.57bn; 7bn euros) to help it recover from last year's conflict with Israel and a massive public debt. | Lebanon hopes to raise up to $9bn (£4.57bn; 7bn euros) to help it recover from last year's conflict with Israel and a massive public debt. |
| The forum, attended by 40 countries, comes amid anti-government protests in Beirut led by pro-Syrian parties. | The forum, attended by 40 countries, comes amid anti-government protests in Beirut led by pro-Syrian parties. |
| Three people were killed and more than 100 were injured in some of the worst street violence in the Lebanese capital for years on Tuesday, when a general strike brought the country to a standstill. | Three people were killed and more than 100 were injured in some of the worst street violence in the Lebanese capital for years on Tuesday, when a general strike brought the country to a standstill. |
| The Islamic Hezbollah movement, which called the strike, has warned of more unrest unless Prime Minister Fouad Siniora steps down. | The Islamic Hezbollah movement, which called the strike, has warned of more unrest unless Prime Minister Fouad Siniora steps down. |
| Debt-laden | Debt-laden |
| Mr Siniora has powerful friends abroad but faces protests at home | |
| Large parts of Lebanon's infrastructure were destroyed during Israel's attempt to wipe out Hezbollah last year. | |
| The country is also heavily indebted from the effects of 15 years of civil war in the 1970s and 80s. | The country is also heavily indebted from the effects of 15 years of civil war in the 1970s and 80s. |
| The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says donations and soft loans are needed to generate confidence, stimulate investment and break the circle of public debt that saddled the country with a massive $40bn burden (30.8bn euros; £20.3bn). | |
| On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice promised Lebanon a new $770m aid package (£391m; 594m euros) as she left for the conference. | |
| DONORS' PLEDGES US: $770m aid package (£391m; 594m euros) France: 500m euros "soft" loan ($648m; £329m)EU: 400m euros ($518m; £263m) | |
| She said the pledge would bring the level of US aid to Lebanon since last summer to more than $1bn (£510m; 771m euros). | She said the pledge would bring the level of US aid to Lebanon since last summer to more than $1bn (£510m; 771m euros). |
| Hours earlier, French President Jacques Chirac offered to lend Lebanon 500m euros ($648m; £329m) at a concessionary rate, Mr Chirac's spokeswoman said. | Hours earlier, French President Jacques Chirac offered to lend Lebanon 500m euros ($648m; £329m) at a concessionary rate, Mr Chirac's spokeswoman said. |
| The European Union is promising another 400m euros ($518m; £263m) in new aid and loans. | |
| Debt problem | Debt problem |
| Economists in Beirut say the Paris conference is extremely important, coming at a time when the alarm bells are ringing on the financial markets there. | Economists in Beirut say the Paris conference is extremely important, coming at a time when the alarm bells are ringing on the financial markets there. |
| The cost of helping Lebanon... is much less than the cost of not helping Lebanon Fouad SinioraLebanese prime minister | The cost of helping Lebanon... is much less than the cost of not helping Lebanon Fouad SinioraLebanese prime minister |
| Speaking to the BBC, Lebanese Economy Minister Sami Haddad said any money raised would help clear the deficit. | Speaking to the BBC, Lebanese Economy Minister Sami Haddad said any money raised would help clear the deficit. |
| "Most of it will go to reduce the debt and debt service... The grants that we will hopefully receive will reduce the debt principle. | "Most of it will go to reduce the debt and debt service... The grants that we will hopefully receive will reduce the debt principle. |
| "We will probably also get some project finance, i.e., funding related to implementing some infrastructure projects." | "We will probably also get some project finance, i.e., funding related to implementing some infrastructure projects." |
| Speaking after lunch with Mr Chirac, Prime Minister Siniora warned potential donors that "the cost of helping Lebanon, however expensive that might seem, is much less than the cost of not helping Lebanon". | Speaking after lunch with Mr Chirac, Prime Minister Siniora warned potential donors that "the cost of helping Lebanon, however expensive that might seem, is much less than the cost of not helping Lebanon". |
| Economists say that anything above $3bn or $4bn in soft loans and grants would be good news. | Economists say that anything above $3bn or $4bn in soft loans and grants would be good news. |
| Below that level, he adds, the gathering would be seen as having failed to demonstrate confidence in Lebanon. | Below that level, he adds, the gathering would be seen as having failed to demonstrate confidence in Lebanon. |