WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama renewed an emergency measure Thursday to freeze the assets of persons who work with Hezbollah insurgents and "infringe upon" Lebanese stability.
"While there have been some recent positive developments in the Syrian-Lebanese relationship, continuing arms transfers to Hezbollah that include increasingly sophisticated weapons systems serve to undermine Lebanese sovereignty," Obama said in a message to Congress.
Obama said the national emergency measures declared on August 1, 2007, must "continue in effect beyond August 1, 2010."
The original executive order under president George W. Bush, continued by Obama, found that threats against Lebanese stability and moves to restore Syria’s former dominant influence there presented an "unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States."
The statement came hours after confirmation Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad will visit Beirut on Friday for a summit aimed at easing tensions in Lebanon, in his first visit since the 2005 assassination of Lebanese ex-premier Rafiq Hariri that forced the pullout of Syrian troops after a 29-year presence.
Syria, also accused of backing Hezbollah, was widely believed to have a hand in the killing but has consistently denied any involvement.
