US Embassy corrects media reports of Welch’s “hot summer” statement

by **Admin** Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:28 pm

The
American Embassy in Beirut issued a correction of a statement allegedly
made by US Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs David
Welch.

The US Embassy said Welch said that the Lebanese had
“expressed their concern that the tourist sector may suffer again this
summer because of the tension in the country" in response to a question
about his trip to Lebanon, instead of warning that Lebanon would have a
“hot summer,” as many media outlets reported.

The
embassy said Welch had conveyed the Lebanese people’s concern that they
would have “another difficult summer” with a bad tourism season because
of the tension in the country.