Report: US, Europe, Arabs to sanction presidential vote obstructers

Report: US, Europe, Arabs to sanction presidential vote obstructers

The United States and Europe will impose sanctions on those obstructing the election of a new president, al-Akhbar newspaper said.

The daily reported Tuesday that U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf has informed the Lebanese leaders she met in Lebanon about the sanctions.

Leaf had met Friday with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat and pressed them on the urgent need to elect a president, form a government, and implement critical economic reforms to set Lebanon on the path to stability and prosperity, the U.S. department of state said.

"The only direct message that Leaf delivered to the Lebanese leaders is that there will be European, American and Arab sanctions on the presidential vote obstructers," the daily said, adding that Leaf had stressed that her country will accept any elected president and has no specific candidates.