We learned this week that the Honourable Minister Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, called his Lebanese counterpart, Mr. Charbel Wehbe:
First, Bambi would like to thank Mr. Garneau for re-affirming Canada’s friendship with and continuous support of the people of Lebanon.
Bravo for reiterating “Canada’s desire that Lebanon forms a new government without delay to implement necessary reforms and respond to the aspiration of the Lebanese people“. Mr. Garneau talked about the crucial need for “holding Lebanon’s next round of national elections as scheduled in 2022“.
As per our government’s official website above, “Minister Wehbe thanked Canada for its steadfast support of Lebanon and its contribution of $30 million to assist with the aftermath of the devastating Beirut explosion“.
Bravo again to Mr. Garneau for having “reasserted the importance of achieving justice for the victims of this tragedy though a credible and transparent investigation“.
Bambi is also very happy to read that Mr. Garneau “also called for a credible, impartial and independent investigation into the assassination of civil society activist Lokman Slim“.
Today, we also learned from the Lebanese media that the US Ambassador in Beirut, Ms. Dorothy Shea, used the Arabic word “Khalass” in her message to the Lebanese politicians. Khalass means: “Enough is enough!”
Perhaps the sad political reality of Lebanon right now is that the current American administration does not seem to be as impatient as Ms. Shea, when it comes to the feuding Lebanese politicians and, most importantly, to Iran that has an increased (and almost total hegemony) over tiny bankrupt and fragilized Lebanon.
It would be fair to say that the European pressures, under the leadership of France, remain just (harsh) words or diplomatic calls for action… but still without concrete measures, according to the l’Orient Le Jour: https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1256761/pressions-europeennes-sur-le-liban-toujours-pas-de-mesures-concretes.html
Same for the International Monetary Fund (IMF), according to L‘Orient Today: https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1256617/the-imf-urges-quick-cabinet-formation-calling-it-critical-to-implementing-reforms.html
Are words enough to provoke change or stop destruction?
