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RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHLB #1195/01 3070603
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 030603Z NOV 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5989
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 001195 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR ECIN ECON EFIN PGOV SENV LE
SUBJECT: DANGERS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE BIG SCREEN (ECONOMIC WEEK 
IN REVIEW, OCTOBER 26 - NOVEMBER 1, 2009) 
 
CONTENTS 
-------- 
 
-- DANGERS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE BIG SCREEN 
-- IPR WORKSHOP FOR JUDGES 
-- NATIONAL CARRIER ANNOUNCES RECORD PROFITS 
-- RUSSIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO OPEN REGIONAL OFFICE IN BEIRUT 
-- LEBANON IT AND ICT REGIONAL PLAYER 
 
DANGERS OF CLIMATE 
CHANGE ON THE BIG SCREEN 
------------------------ 
 
¶1. (SBU) On October 24, an Lebanese environmental NGO, the League of 
Independent Activists (IndyAct), hosted a screening of the drama 
documentary, "The Age of Stupid," highlighting the dangers of 
climate change, in collaboration with the British Embassy, the 
American Lebanese Chamber of Commerce, and the Green Party.  As part 
of the Global Campaign against Climate Change, IndyAct also 
organized the "man in the cube" project, whereby an activist was 
placed in a transparent box for three days to highlight the dangers 
of global warming.  Organizers noted that more than 600 people 
attended the film screening, while they have already received 
requests from several private companies to screen the movie for 
their staff.  According to IndyAct, no Arab government has adopted 
the 350 parts per million carbon dioxide concentration target that 
IndyAct and the global climate change movement advocate. 
 
IPR WORKSHOP FOR JUDGES 
----------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) A three-day workshop for judges on intellectual property 
rights (IPR), organized by the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MOET) 
in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization 
(WIPO) and the Judicial Training Institute (JTI), kicked off in 
Beirut on October 26.  All of the current 16 trainee judges 
attended, along with more than 30 junior judges.  The workshop 
featured an overview of IPR, IPR laws in Lebanon, enforcement 
issues, and discussion of IPR-related court cases.  JTI head Sami 
Mansour noted the importance of enforcement of IPR laws in Lebanon 
and the need to issue tougher sentences against infringers to 
improve the IPR environment.  The Lebanon Judicial Strengthening 
Project, a USAID-funded project run by the National Center for State 
Courts (NCSC) since November 2007, is also working on increasing 
awareness and understanding of IPR in the judiciary. 
 
NATIONAL CARRIER 
ANNOUNCES RECORD PROFITS 
------------------------ 
 
¶3. (U) National airline Middle East Airlines (MEA) resumed direct 
flights to Baghdad on October 29 for the first time in 25 years. 
MEA will operate four flights a week, according to MEA chairman 
Mohammad El-Hout.  Meanwhile, El-Hout said he expects MEA net 
profits to top $100 million in 2009 as MEA benefits from the record 
number of tourists who have visited Lebanon so far this year.  Air 
Transport World Magazine earlier ranked MEA among 25 leading 
airlines worldwide in terms of net profit and operational income in 
¶2008. 
 
RUSSIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO 
OPEN REGIONAL OFFICE IN BEIRUT 
------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (U) The Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry will open a 
regional office in Beirut in early 2010, according to Byblos Bank's 
weekly economic report.  The office will work on boosting 
commercial, industrial, and cultural relations with Lebanon and the 
region, as well as organize trade fairs to promote Russian products. 
 In 2008, Lebanese exports to Russia were valued at $8 million, 
while Russian exports to Lebanon were valued at $503 million. 
 
LEBANON IT AND ICT 
REGIONAL PLAYER 
------------------ 
 
¶5. (U) Lebanon ranked 35 out of 173 countries worldwide and second 
in the Arab world in exports of Information Technology (IT) and 
Information Communication Technology (ICT) in 2007, according to the 
UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).   UNCTAD also noted 
that Lebanon exported $6.95 billion in IT and ICT-enabled services, 
making it one of the largest exporters of such services in 
developing economies.  These exports rose by 13.7% in 2007, 
accounting for 26.3% of IT and ICT-enabled exports in the Arab 
world. 
 
¶6. (U) In parallel, Lebanon imported $5.14 billion in IT and 
 
BEIRUT 00001195  002 OF 002 
 
 
ICT-enabled services in 2007, making it the second-highest importer 
in the Arab region.  These imports also rose by 22% in 2007, 
accounting for 13.4% of IT and ICT-enabled imports in the Arab 
world. 
 
SISON