International donors pledge $7.6b to bolster Lebanon

PARIS -- The embattled Lebanese government of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora won more than $7.6 billion in pledges of financial assistance yesterday from international donors eager to help rebuild the war-ravaged country, stabilize its economy, and improve the security situation.

The package, including pledges of grants and loans totaling $1.1 billion from Saudi Arabia and $770 million from the United States, is a major boon for Saniora, whose government has been buffeted since early December by a Hezbollah campaign to topple it.

The power struggle intensified Tuesday when Hezbollah and its allies enforced a nationwide strike that paralyzed the country and sparked sectarian clashes, leaving three people dead and more than 100 injured. At least three people were killed yesterday in renewed clashes Beirut's Arab University.

Against that backdrop, leaders from 36 countries and 14 international agencies gathered here to express their support for Saniora's democratically elected government and its attempts to implement economic reforms, ease a $41 billion debt burden, and rebuild vast areas of Lebanon that were demolished last summer during the 34-day war with Israel. Lebanese officials estimate war damage at about $3.6 billion.

"I'm going back really pleased with the level of financial support shown today," Saniora said. "This is for all Lebanon."

"The conference today was a very important expression of the international community's intention to stand by Lebanon and the Lebanese people in these difficult times," said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Rice would not say whether US money would be delivered if Hezbollah -- an Iranian and Syrian-backed Shiite group that the United States has labeled a terrorist organization -- succeeded in overthrowing Saniora's government and came to power. She called that scenario speculation.

C. David Welch, the assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, told reporters in Paris Wednesday, "We are not going to support people who launch wars and try to bring down governments with the benefit of outside assistance, and who have disturbed the tranquillity of this country, ended the political dialogue, ruined the livelihoods of many Lebanese ."

President Jacques Chirac of France, who hosted the conference and pledged $650 million in low-interest loans to Lebanon, said international support depended on a Lebanese "national consensus on economic and social reforms imperative for the future of the country, and on the implementation of those reforms as soon as possible."