A senior US official arrived in Beirut on Tuesday for a three-day visit during which he will meet Lebanese officials and start a campaign aimed at increasing sanctions against Syria, dpa reported with reference to Lebanese government source.
The US Treasury had announced Monday that Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing Daniel Glaser would be travelling to Russia, Lebanon and Jordan.
While in Beirut, Glaser was to meet with senior government officials to highlight the need for authorities "to remain vigilant against attempts by the Syrian regime to evade US and EU sanctions through the Lebanese and financial sector," US officials said in a statement.
Washington believes that Lebanon's financial sector might be a possible avenue for Syria to bypass international sanctions.
A month after anti-government protests first prompted a violent crackdown, the United States and the European Union imposed their first sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad and his officials. Sanctions have been further tightened since them.
On November 7, Syrian Prime Minister Adel Safar said the sanctions, particularly on the oil sector, were crippling the economy.
The eight-month uprising against al-Assad has wiped out the tourist industry in the country, which accounts for 12 per cent of gross domestic product. The International Institute of Finance forecasts that the Syrian economy will shrink by 3 per cent this year.
More than 3,500 people have been killed in the unrest since March, according to a report by the United Nations.