QUESTIONS ON LEBANON'S ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87T00434R000300240064-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 24, 2010
• Sequence Number: 64
• Publication Date: June 24, 1985
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/03/25: CIA-RDP87T00434R000300240064-9
NOFORN
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE
Background Brief
Questions on Lebanon's Economic Infrastructure
1. Beirut International Airport (BIA) is by far the most
important airfield in Lebanon. It is the home base and hub for
Lebanon's civil air carrier, Middle East Airlines (MEA), which
has extensive routes throughout the Middle East. It is also the
home base for Trans Mediterranean Airlines (TMA), MEA's cargo
affiliate. During times of high tension MEA and TMA move the
locus of their operations to Kuwait, also using Athens and other
European cities.
-- Although 15 other international airlines are scheduled to
serve BIA, we believe that most of them cancel their
flights during periods of fighting or high tension. They
are: Aeroflot, Air France, Alia (Jordanian), Alitalia,
Balkan Air (Bulgarian), Cyprus Air, Czechoslovak Air,
Gulf Air, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, Sabena (Belgian),
Swissair, Tunis Air, Yugoslav Air.
2. Beirut's importance as an international commercial
telecommunications center is now minimal. Although it is still
the most important center for Lebanon, alternate international
routes, including the recently launched ARABSAT satellite, have
minimized its importance for other nations of the Middle East.
3. Lebanon has a number of thermal generating plants,
mostly located on or near the coast, and some hydroelectric
facilities inland. The most important generating plants are
thermal power plants at Zouk (Zug Mikail), north of Beirut near
Juniyah--currently in Christian territory, and the plant at al
Jiyah, north of Sidon--currently held by the Druze. Important
electrical substations serving Beirut are at al Judayhah, al
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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/03/25: CIA-RDP87T00434R000300240064-9
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/03/25: CIA-RDP87T00434R000300240064-9
Luwayzah, al Hadath, and in Beirut itself. For West Beirut, the
most important source is probably the Jiyah plant and the most
important substation is the one at al Hadath.
-- With Beirut, and Lebanon in general, experiencing
electrical shortages and blackouts on almost a daily
basis, many individuals and buisinesses have their own
generating sets that normally operate on diesel fuel.) 25X1
25X1
4. The water system serving Beirut is rudimentary. Water
pipes are still operable in some sections of the city,
particularly in East Beirut, but much of the water is being
trucked into West Beirut. About 75 percent of the supply comes
from springs and about 25 percent from wells. There are probably
at least 300 private wells in the Beirut area alone. There is a
major waterworks about 18 kilometers east of Beirut. We have no
specific information on the water pipeline system.
-- Cutting the electric supply would cut off most of the
private wells and a large portion of the public water
supply.
5. Lebanon's three major ports are Beirut, Tripoli, and
Sidon, with Beirut being by far the most important. Beirut's
port facilities are entirely in the Christian sector and probably
handle 60 to 70 percent of Lebanon's maritime traffic. There are
at least eight other ports dotting the Lebanese coast, mainly
operating as illegal ports. The largest illegal port outside
Beirut is Juniyah--also in the Christian sector.
6. The main north-south coastal highway runs through the
eastern Beirut suburbs. There is also a major highway inland to
Damascus. Rail links follow the same routes as the major
highways mentioned above. The railroads are of minor importance,
poorly maintained, and are now largely inoperable.
7. The petroleum sector is still under government control,
although if necesary, products could be smuggled in through the
illegal ports. The three most important facilities are the two
refineries at Tripoli (22,000 b/d) and Zahrani (17,000 b/d,
between Sidon and Tyre), and the product import and storage
facilities in and around the port of Beirut. These port and
storage facilities are in the Christian sector. West Beirut
would most likely be served by the storage facilities in Beirut
and the refinery at Zahrani. The refineries produce about 40 to
45 percent of product consumption with the rest imported.
Distribution within the country is primarily by tank trucks
operated by private companies.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/03/25: CIA-RDP87T00434R000300240064-9