Aoun Meets U.S. Treasury Official, Says Lebanon Actively Fighting Money Laundering

President Michel Aoun reassured Monday that Lebanon is actively fighting money laundering during talks in Baabda with Marshall Billingslea, the Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

“Lebanon is taking part effectively in the global efforts aimed at combating terrorist financing and money laundering, through its central bank and competent financial authorities and according to the applicable international standards and laws,” Aoun told the U.S. official.

“Lebanese security institutions are vigilantly pursuing sleeper terrorist cells after the defeat that the army inflicted on the Daesh (Islamic State) organization in Lebanon's outskirts,” the president added, noting that “preemptive security operations have proved effective.”

Billingslea for his part lauded the cooperation that the U.S. Treasury received from Lebanon's central bank and financial authorities while stressing that Washington is committed to supporting the Lebanese economy and army, the National News Agency said.

The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, Justice Minister Salim Jreissati, Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh, the president's chief adviser Mireille Aoun-Hachem, Presidency director general Antoine Choucair, and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Elizabeth Richard.

Billingslea held separate talks on Monday with Prime Minister Saad Hariri and is scheduled to meet Tuesday with a number of Lebanese ministers and officials.