Lebanon's reservations to issue entry visa to Lythos

Lebanese Foreign Minister Fares Boueiz informed the International Labor Organization ( ILO) in Geneva about Lebanon's reservations toward appointing Ibrahim Al Lythos as director of the ILO regional office in Beirut.

Boueiz added that he informed the ILO that this has nothing to do with Lythos' personality, but has to do with Lebanon's preference not to have any Lebanese citizen as a leading official in any international organization.

Lythos had formerly been the director of Palestinian Liberation Organization in Paris. The ILO did not comment on Lebanon's refusal to issue Lythos an entry visa.

After visiting the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, the head of the UN Development Agency Ross Mauntin said he did not discuss this issue with Lebanese officials and that he ruled out the intention of the organization to close its office in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, a Lebanese Foreign Ministry source said Lebanon did not receive a formal request to issue an entry visa to Lythos.