A money exchange vendor displays Lebanese pound banknotes at his shop in Beirut February 7, 2012. Lebanese banks which worked for years to build up business in neighbouring Syria have been quietly implementing U.S. and European Union sanctions against Damascus to avoid jeopardising their international operations, bankers and economists say. Picture taken February 7, 2012. To match Feature LEBANON-SYRIA/BANKS REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON - Tags: BUSINESS) - RTR2XHR5

How long can Lebanon’s private sector bail out government?

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A money exchange vendor displays Lebanese pound banknotes at his shop in Beirut February 7, 2012. Lebanese banks which worked for years to build up business in neighbouring Syria have been quietly implementing U.S. and European Union sanctions against Damascus to avoid jeopardising their international operations, bankers and economists say. Picture taken February 7, 2012. To match Feature LEBANON-SYRIA/BANKS REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON - Tags: BUSINESS) - RTR2XHR5

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