The Lebanese Republic Global Medium Term Note Program
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U.S. $13,500,000,000 The Lebanese Republic Global Medium Term Note Program Under this U.S. $13,500,000,000 Global Medium Term Note Program (the "Program"), the Lebanese Republic (the "Republic") may, from time to time, subject to compliance with all relevant laws, regulations and directives, issue notes in either bearer or registered form (the "Notes"). The maximum aggregate principal amount of all Notes from time to time outstanding under the Program will not exceed U.S. $13,500,000,000 (or its equivalent in other currencies determined at the time of the agreement to issue), subject to any duly authorized increase. The Notes may be denominated in U.S. Dollars, euro and such other currencies as may be agreed between the Republic and the relevant Dealers (as defined below). The Notes will have maturities of not less than three months nor more than 30 years and will bear interest on a fixed or floating rate basis. Attention is drawn to the limitations and qualifications regarding the description of the economic situation in the Republic appearing on page 8 of this Offering Circular. This Offering Circular supersedes all prior Offering Circulars relating to the Program. Any Notes to be issued after the date hereof under the Program are issued subject to the provisions set out herein. This does not affect any Notes issued prior to the date hereof. The Notes may be issued on a continuing basis to the Dealers and any additional Dealer(s) appointed under the Program from time to time pursuant to the terms of a Program Agreement dated March 8, 1999 (as the same may be amended from time to time, the "Program Agreement"), which appointment may be for a specific issue or on an ongoing basis (each, a "Dealer" and, together, the "Dealers"). References in this Offering Circular to the "relevant Dealer," in the case of an issue of Notes being (or intended to be) subscribed by more than one Dealer, shall be to all Dealers agreeing to subscribe for such Notes. Notes will be issued in Series (each a "Series"), with all Notes in a Series having the same maturity date and terms otherwise identical (except in relation to issue dates, interest commencement dates, issue prices and related matters). Notes in each Series may be issued in one or more tranches (each a "Tranche") on different issue dates. Details applicable to each particular Series or Tranche will be supplied in a pricing supplement to this Offering Circular (each a "Pricing Supplement"), which will contain the aggregate principal amount of the Notes, interest (if any) payable in respect of Notes, the issue price of Notes and any other terms and conditions not contained herein which are applicable to each Tranche. This Offering Circular may not be used to consummate sales of Notes unless accompanied by a Pricing Supplement. Application has been made to list the Notes issued under the Program on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. This Offering Circular may be used to list the Notes issued under the Program on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange during the period of twelve months from the date hereof. The Program provides that Notes may be listed on such further stock exchange(s) as may be agreed upon by and among the Republic, the Fiscal Agent and the relevant Dealer. The Republic may also issue unlisted Notes. The Pricing Supplement with respect to Notes to be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange will be delivered to the Luxembourg Stock Exchange on or before the date of issue of the Notes of such Tranche. Notes of each Tranche will initially be represented by either a Temporary Global Note, a Permanent Global Note, a Regulation S Global Note, a Restricted Global Note, Definitive Bearer Notes and/or Definitive Registered Notes (each as defined herein) as indicated in the applicable Pricing Supplement. See "Forms of the Notes". Notes offered otherwise than in reliance on Regulation S under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") pursuant to the Program Agreement may be offered by the Dealers through their respective agents in the United States. Arranger Merrill Lynch International Dealers ABN AMRO BNP PARIBAS Commerzbank Securities Credit Suisse First Boston Deutsche Bank JPMorgan Merrill Lynch International Morgan Stanley Nomura International Schroder Salomon Smith Barney The date of this Offering Circular is December 23, 2002 The Republic, to the best of its knowledge and belief, having made all reasonable inquiries, confirms that this Offering Circular contains or incorporates all information with respect to the Republic and the Notes to be issued by it which is material in the context of the Program and the issue and offering of the Notes thereunder, that the information contained herein is true and accurate in all material respects and is not misleading in any material respect, that the opinions and intentions expressed herein in relation to it are honestly held and that there are no other facts with respect to the Republic or the Notes the omission of which would make this document as a whole or any such information or the expression of any such opinions or intentions misleading in any material respect. The Republic accepts responsibility for the information contained herein relating to the Republic and the Notes accordingly. This Offering Circular is to be read in conjunction with all documents which are deemed to be incorporated herein by reference (see "Documents Incorporated by Reference" below). This Offering Circular shall, save as specified herein, be read and construed on the basis that such documents are so incorporated and form part of this Offering Circular. The Dealers have not independently verified the information contained herein. Accordingly, no representation, warranty or undertaking, express or implied, is made and no responsibility or liability is accepted by the Dealers as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this Offering Circular or any other information provided by the Republic or any other person in connection with the Program or the Notes or their distribution. The statements made in this paragraph are made without prejudice to the responsibility of the Republic under the Program. No person is or has been authorized to give any information or to make any representation not contained in or not consistent with this Offering Circular, the Program Agreement or any other information supplied in connection with the Program or the Notes and, if given or made, such information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Republic or any of the Dealers. Neither this Offering Circular nor any other information supplied in connection with the Program or any Notes (i) is intended to provide the basis of any credit or other evaluation or (ii) should be considered as a recommendation or constituting an offer by the Republic or any of the Dealers that any recipient of this Offering Circular or any other information supplied in connection with the Program or any Notes should purchase any Notes in any jurisdiction where it is unlawful for such person to make such a recommendation or offer. Each investor contemplating purchasing any Notes should make its own independent investigation of the financial condition and affairs and its own appraisal of the creditworthiness of the Republic. Neither this Offering Circular nor any other information supplied in connection with the Program or any Notes constitutes an offer or invitation by or on behalf of the Republic or any of the Dealers to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer to subscribe for or to purchase any Notes. The delivery of this Offering Circular does not at any time imply that the information contained herein concerning the Republic is correct at any time subsequent to the date hereof or the date as of which it is expressed to be given or that any other information supplied in connection with the Program is correct as of any time subsequent to the date indicated in the document containing the same. The Dealers expressly do not undertake to review the financial condition or affairs of the Republic during the life of the Program. Investors should review, inter alia, documents incorporated by reference herein when deciding whether or not to purchase any Notes. The distribution of this Offering Circular and the offer or sale of Notes may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. The Republic and the Dealers do not represent that this document may be lawfully distributed, or that any Notes may be lawfully offered, in compliance with any applicable registration or other requirements in any such jurisdiction, or pursuant to an exemption available thereunder, or assume any responsibility for facilitating any such distribution or offering. In particular, no action has been taken by the Republic or the Dealers (save for the approval of this document as listing particulars by the Luxembourg Stock Exchange) which would permit a public offering of any Notes or distribution of this document in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Accordingly, no Notes may be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, and neither this Offering Circular nor any advertisement or other offering material may be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with any applicable laws and regulations and the Dealers have represented that all offers and sales by them will be made on the same terms. Persons into whose possession this Offering Circular or any Notes come must inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. In particular, there are restrictions on the distribution of this Offering Circular and the offer or sale of Notes in the United States, the United Kingdom and The Netherlands.