(Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State) - A delegation of prominent U.S. business leaders met with the President Bush at the White House September 25 to discuss how best the United States can assist Lebanon in recovering from its recent crisis, reports Trend.
Our goal, and our mission, is to help Lebanese citizens and Lebanese businesses not only recover, but to flourish, because we believe strongly in the concept of a democracy in Lebanon. … And now we've got generous citizens of the United States, people who are very busy in their own right, who are willing to step forward and to strategize and raise monies to help people in Lebanon, the president said following the meeting.
The delegation, named by the president, had traveled to Lebanon and met with Prime Minister Fuad Siniora and Lebanese officials and business representatives to discuss plans for rebuilding and reconstruction, according to a September 23 announcement.
The four business leaders plan to launch a nationwide campaign in the United States for private donations to a fund for Lebanese reconstruction, according to the White House. The fund will complement the $230 million in aid pledged by the United States government.
The United States believes it is important that Prime Minister Fuad Siniora and Lebanon's young democracy succeed, said a State Department press release.
The business leaders, who said the U.S. public and private sectors are sending a clear message to the Lebanese people, according to an announcement released September 23.
We care about you; we want you to live in a free society; we've got great hopes for you; we believe in your Prime Minister, Prime Minister Siniora; and we will back up our words with actions, Bush was quoted as saying in the announcement.
The fund will be managed by Global Impact, a nonprofit organization based in the United States.
The business representatives are Craig Barrett, the chairman of Intel Corporation; John Chambers, the president of Cisco Systems; Yousif Ghafari, the chairman of GHAFARI Inc.; and Ray Irani, the chairman and president of Occidental Petroleum Corporation.
The delegation was headed by Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Dina Habib Powell and accompanied by the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, Jeffrey Feltman.
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