Central bank employees to call off stir after assurance for right pay

Lebanese central bank employees are moving towards taking a decision to suspend a strike at their general assembly meeting on Tuesday after which work will resume, their syndicate chief told Reuters. "We are moving towards suspending the strike ... temporarily until the negotiations end with what is required," Abbas Awada said in a phone call. He cited positive developments in contacts with officials and said central bank employees wanted to show good will and to "relieve the market".

Awada said work would resume after a news conference that will follow the general assembly meeting. The central bank employees went on strike on Monday to protest against draft budget proposals that would cut their pay. The general assembly will convene at 9:30 a.m. (0630 GMT).

(With inputs from agencies.)