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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><i><font size=2 color=blue
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:blue;
font-style:italic'>Official details of the Stockholm International Conference (FAQs
+ paper presented by Lebanese Government attached; PM’s foreword below),<br>
L.<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
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size=5 color="#000081" face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:18.0pt;
font-family:"Arial Narrow";color:#000081;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><b><font size=5 color="#000081"
face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow";
color:#000081;font-weight:bold'>Foreword<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>No one
is ever really prepared for the kind of disaster that hit <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region> this
summer. With one fourth of the population displaced from their homes and
villages as a result of Israeli bombing, and with an air, sea and land
blockade, and most roads made impassable by a methodical destruction of bridges
and overpasses, the ability to deliver the badly needed relief was severely
constrained during the month long onslaught. Nevertheless, basic humanitarian
assistance was delivered thanks to the joint efforts of the Lebanese themselves
(government and non government), and those of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s many friends in the
region and beyond who responded quickly to help in meeting urgent needs. It is
this kind of partnership that we count on to carry Lebanon forward as we move
from humanitarian relief to early recovery, on to longer term reconstruction
and to creating the conditions for sustained growth and financial stability.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>We are
very thankful to the Swedish government for taking the initiative to call for,
and host this conference, and to the many countries and institutions who have
come here to demonstrate their support for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region>, in words and in deeds. The
conference is intended to focus mainly on early recovery efforts, in addition
to the remaining humanitarian assistance needs. Although the financial
magnitude of these early recovery projects may be relatively small,
particularly when compared to the longer term reconstruction costs and <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:country-region>’s pre-existing need for
international financial support to help ease its debt servicing burden, they
are nevertheless an important element of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s path forward.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>These
early recovery efforts and projects (e.g. temporary houses and bridges) provide
in many cases critical interim steps pending completion of longer-term
reconstruction work.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>They
also facilitate the provision of public health and other services which are
particularly needed in the present circumstances, until normalcy is restored to
communities affected by this crisis.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>This
conference also provides an opportunity for us to share with the international community
our preliminary assessment of where Lebanon's economy is today as a result of
this major setback, and how we view the road forward, so that we all –
Lebanese government, our domestic stakeholders, including private sector and
civil society, as well as the international community – can work together
to put Lebanon back on the path we all want to see it on; the path of freedom,
democracy and economic progress.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><br>
Fouad Siniora<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Prime
Minister</span></font><font size=2 color=black face="Arial Narrow"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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