Lebanon-Australia relations
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Australia enjoys close bilateral relations with Lebanon, underpinned by strong people-to-people links. The Australian Embassy in Beirut, opened in 1967, was the third Australian Embassy to be opened in the Middle East. Australia is committed to Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence and national unity.
The Australian-Lebanese population plays an important role in the bilateral relationship. There are around 300,000 Australians of Lebanese origin. Approximately 20-25,000 Australian passport holders are normally resident in Lebanon and this explains the unparalleled Australian evacuation effort during the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict of 2006.
[edit] Political relations
Australia and Lebanon disagree about the status of the Lebanese resistance organisation Hezbollah. Hezbollah is a multi-faceted organisation comprising political and social elements as well as military wings. Hezbollah in its entirety was listed by the Australian Government in December 2001 for the purpose of asset freezing. Its External Security Organisation (ESO) was listed in June 2003 as a terrorist organisation. Hezbollah's presence in Lebanese society is not confined to its military wing but also usually includes representatives in parliament and many charitable associations. It has participated in Lebanon’s political system since 1992.
[edit] Economic and trade relationship
According to Australian Government figures (which do not count exports trans-shipped to Lebanon through other regional ports), total two-way merchandise trade amounted to A$31 million in 2006-07 (A$18 million in Australian exports, A$13 million in imports from Lebanon. In the Lebanese market, European suppliers enjoy a substantial competitive advantage with lower transport costs and shorter delivery times. Current opportunities for Australian exporters are primarily focused in the education, food and beverage sectors. Australian companies have been deterred from investing in the Lebanese market by the non-transparency of the business environment, high local service costs, infrastructural problems and the uncertainties surrounding the current political environment
[edit] Source
http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/lebanon/country_brief.html
|
||||||||
|
|||||||
