Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, issued the following statement calling upon parties in Lebanon to work expeditiously to resolve significant differences and proactively address the deteriorating financial crisis threatening the stability of the country:

 “Lebanon is on the verge of financial collapse, and with Hezbollah threatening to scuttle a proposed bailout from the International Monetary Fund, the probability of chaos — including a reignited civil war in the worst case — is increasing. The result could be a humanitarian disaster which would threaten the stability of the region and beyond.

“All parties in Lebanon must come forward to resolve their differences, while the US State Department and our allies in the region and in Europe must turn greater attention to what is unfolding so as to avert this crisis before it is too late.”

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