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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Lebanese PM makes plea for help | Lebanese PM makes plea for help |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora has made an impassioned plea for help in rebuilding his country following the recent conflict with Israel. | Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora has made an impassioned plea for help in rebuilding his country following the recent conflict with Israel. |
| Mr Siniora told delegates at an international donors' conference in Sweden Lebanon's recovery from its civil war had been "wiped out in days". | Mr Siniora told delegates at an international donors' conference in Sweden Lebanon's recovery from its civil war had been "wiped out in days". |
| Organisers are hoping to raise $500m (£260m; 392m euros). | Organisers are hoping to raise $500m (£260m; 392m euros). |
| Meanwhile UN chief Kofi Annan has arrived in Syria on the latest leg of a regional tour to bolster the ceasefire. | |
| Mr Annan was met at Damascus airport by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem. | |
| The two men will hold formal talks later in the day and on Friday morning Mr Annan will meet President Bashar al-Assad. | |
| Stopping off in Jordan on Thursday morning, Mr Annan reiterated his call for Israel to lift its air and sea blockade of Lebanon. | Stopping off in Jordan on Thursday morning, Mr Annan reiterated his call for Israel to lift its air and sea blockade of Lebanon. |
| Israel imposed the blockade to stop arms reaching Hezbollah militants after fighting with the Lebanese group erupted on 12 July. | Israel imposed the blockade to stop arms reaching Hezbollah militants after fighting with the Lebanese group erupted on 12 July. |
| 'Billions of dollars' | 'Billions of dollars' |
| Mr Siniora told delegates the month-long conflict had plunged Lebanon's economy into a "deep recession". | Mr Siniora told delegates the month-long conflict had plunged Lebanon's economy into a "deep recession". |
| DAMAGE TO LEBANON Infrastructure 15,000 homes, 78 bridges and 630km of roads damagedAgriculture Up to $185m of crops, 1m poultry, 25,000 goats and sheep lostEconomy 6% growth (forecast) set to plunge, unemployment up Crisis facts and figures Annan's Mid-East challenge "Lebanon, which only seven weeks ago was full of hope and promise, has been torn to shreds by destruction, displacement, dispossession, desolation and death," he said. | DAMAGE TO LEBANON Infrastructure 15,000 homes, 78 bridges and 630km of roads damagedAgriculture Up to $185m of crops, 1m poultry, 25,000 goats and sheep lostEconomy 6% growth (forecast) set to plunge, unemployment up Crisis facts and figures Annan's Mid-East challenge "Lebanon, which only seven weeks ago was full of hope and promise, has been torn to shreds by destruction, displacement, dispossession, desolation and death," he said. |
| He said direct damage to Lebanon was "running into the billions of dollars", while losses to the economy would cost billions of dollars more. | He said direct damage to Lebanon was "running into the billions of dollars", while losses to the economy would cost billions of dollars more. |
| Fifteen years of development since the end of Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war had been "wiped out in a matter of days by Israel's deadly military machine", Mr Siniora said. | Fifteen years of development since the end of Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war had been "wiped out in a matter of days by Israel's deadly military machine", Mr Siniora said. |
| The Lebanese government has previously put the cost of damage at $3.6bn. | The Lebanese government has previously put the cost of damage at $3.6bn. |
| It says 15,000 homes were damaged in the conflict and has appealed for $75m for temporary housing and $30m to repair major roads and put up bridges. | It says 15,000 homes were damaged in the conflict and has appealed for $75m for temporary housing and $30m to repair major roads and put up bridges. |
| It has also asked for funds to help clear landmines and unexploded cluster bombs, which are preventing farmers returning to their fields. | It has also asked for funds to help clear landmines and unexploded cluster bombs, which are preventing farmers returning to their fields. |
| On Wednesday the UN's humanitarian chief condemned the "completely immoral" way Israel dropped thousands of cluster bombs on Lebanon even as a resolution appeared imminent. | On Wednesday the UN's humanitarian chief condemned the "completely immoral" way Israel dropped thousands of cluster bombs on Lebanon even as a resolution appeared imminent. |
| Israel says the weapons it uses are not illegal. | Israel says the weapons it uses are not illegal. |
| Setback | Setback |
| Ministers from more than 60 countries are attending the donors' conference, as well as officials from the UN, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Red Cross. | Ministers from more than 60 countries are attending the donors' conference, as well as officials from the UN, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Red Cross. |
| The European Union has already promised 42m euros (£28m) for Lebanon's short-term recovery. | The European Union has already promised 42m euros (£28m) for Lebanon's short-term recovery. |
| But Swedish foreign ministry spokesman John Zanchi said organisers were hoping for much more. | But Swedish foreign ministry spokesman John Zanchi said organisers were hoping for much more. |
| "We are hoping the international community will step up," he said. | "We are hoping the international community will step up," he said. |
| Before the conflict erupted, Lebanon had one of the more promising economies in the Middle East, with the government forecasting strong growth of 6% and paying off its debts. | Before the conflict erupted, Lebanon had one of the more promising economies in the Middle East, with the government forecasting strong growth of 6% and paying off its debts. |
| Now it says output will plummet and it will run a deficit for the first time in several years. Unemployment is up sharply, and industry, agriculture, tourism and fishing were badly damaged. | Now it says output will plummet and it will run a deficit for the first time in several years. Unemployment is up sharply, and industry, agriculture, tourism and fishing were badly damaged. |