US sanctions against the former foreign and energy minister, Gebran Bassil, could affect the Lebanese presidency and his Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), which has supporters in the United Sates, observers said.
They believe that the sanctions will have repercussions on Baabda Palace and FPM supporters in the US despite Bassil and several of his followers attempting to send positive signals to Washington by stressing their keenness to preserve a good relationship between the two sides.
“It is still too early to talk about the impact of the sanctions on the relations between the two countries,” sources familiar with the position of President Michel Aoun, who is Bassil’s father-in-law, told Asharq Al-Awsat Tuesday.
The sources recalled that Aoun has asked for documents proving the charges against Bassil and earlier the two former ministers, Ali Hassan Khalil and Youssef Fenianos.
“This request would be followed up through diplomatic channels,” the sources said, although there has been no such contact yet between the presidency and the US since the sanctions were imposed on the Lebanese figures.
The US Treasury Department said in September it had designated Fenianos and Hassan Khalil for engaging in corruption and leveraging their political power for financial gain.
Last week, the Treasury said it had targeted Bassil "for his role in corruption in Lebanon", alleging in particular that he "steered Lebanese government funds to individuals close to him through a group of front companies" as energy minister.
However, Lebanon’s former Ambassador to Washington Riad Tabbara said the sanctions against Bassil are part of a “message sent to President Michel Aoun, including a US pressure to speed up the formation of the next government.”
“So far, it is not clear what are the long-term objectives of these sanctions. But, if we look at recent events, we find that sanctions against Khalil and Fenianos led to the announcement of negotiations with Israel on the demarcation of maritime borders. It seems that the sanctions on Bassil aim to speed up the formation of the government,” the ambassador told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Tabbara said the US is keen on preventing Lebanon from collapsing, adding that FPM followers in the US would not be affected by the recent decision.
Global ambassador at PeaceTech Lab and director for Business Development Nizar Zakka stressed the need to separate between the sanctions and the Lebanese Presidency or the FPM.
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that further sanctions could be soon issued against other party leaders, including figures close to Washington.
Echoing the FPM’s position, MP Hikmat Deeb said the US sanctions would not affect the movement’s relationship with the American people and administration.
In remarks to the newspaper, Deeb said that Bassil is the only figure with whom the US administration held talks before imposing the sanctions.
