Lebanon's central bank chief to appeal against French arrest warrant

Beirut, May 17 Lebanese Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh has said he would appeal against an arrest warrant issued by French prosecutors against him on the same day.

In a statement by the Central Bank of Lebanon on Tuesday, Salameh was quoted as slamming the arrest warrant issued by the French investigative judge Aude Buresi as "a violation of the law".

According to the statement, the Governor accused Buresi of making the arrest decision based on "presumptuous ideas" and "double standards".

Salameh's statement comes after he failed to appear before French prosecutors in Paris on Tuesday for questioning on corruption charges, Xinhua news agency reported.

Salameh is among the top Lebanese officials who have been blamed for the unprecedented financial crisis in Lebanon.