Ashrafieh, which is a neighbourhood of Beirut, not a municipality (Embassy of Lebanon 21 Sept. 2000), does not appear on a comprehensive list of municipalities in Lebanon provided on the Institute for Documentation and Research on Lebanon (IDREL) Website which gives the results of the 1998 municipal elections. The only municipality named in the Beirut area is Beirut itself. This information is corroborated in a study on local government in Lebanon retrieved from a database on local communities provided on the Website of the Paris-based Institut des sciences et des techniques et de l'équipement et de l'environnement pour le développement (ISTED).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Banque de données sur les collectivités territoriales : Liban. August 1998. Institut des sciences et des techniques et de l'équipement et de l'environnement pour le développement (ISTED). http://www.isted.3ct.com/CFCE-DEXIA/Reperesfre/liban_reperes.htm [Accessed 21 Sept. 2000]

Embassy of Lebanon, Ottawa. 21 September 2000. Telephone interview with official

Institute for Documentation and Research on Lebanon (IDREL). http://www.idrel.com.lb/ [Accessed 21 Sept. 2000]

IRB databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

REFWORLD

Internet Sources including:

World News Connection (WNC)