Iraqi finance minister in Beirut to discuss the fate of assets

Iraq's finance minister Kamel al-Keilani arrived in Beirut, Lebanon, yesterday from Jordan on a visit to seek the release of the Iraqi assets held in Lebanese banks as the former Iraqi regime had deposited a sum estimated at 500 million dollars in three private Lebanese banks.

The Lebanese cabinet discussed this issue during its session which was held earlier in the day and asked the governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon Riad Salameh to wait for the implementation of the rules of resolution no. 1483 issued on May 22, 2003 by the UN Security Council pertinent to the Iraqi assets deposited in Lebanon, waiting for studying this issue in the context of the international law and enforced rules.

However, this subject has political dimensions that go in parallel with legal dimensions. Diplomatic sources stressed that Lebanon which honors the UN Security Council resolutions and works for its implementation, has several reservations on the special decisions on Iraq concerning the UN actual role in the Iraqi crisis and its role in running private sums in Iraq.

News reports said that the Iraqi minister will be meeting with the finance minister Fouad Siniora to discuss this subject with him. Siniora is expected to convey to the Iraqi official Lebanon's official position to study the matter according to the international law, so as to take an appropriate decision.