French foreign minister: 'no alternative' to IMF bailout for Lebanon

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Thursday urged Lebanon to relaunch negotiations for an International Monetary Fund a bailout and reiterated France’s support for Lebanon in the face of its worst economic crisis Mr Le Drian arrived in the cash-strapped country on Wednesday evening for a 36-hour visit aimed at discussing ways out of the crisis. Speaking alongside his Lebanese counterpart Nassif Hitti, Mr Le Drian said that “there is no alternative” to an IMF bailout for Lebanon to recover from its economic crisis. “My message to Lebanon is: help us to help you,” he said, repeating a statement he made in the French Senate in early July. Negotiations with the IMF started in May but...