Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, March 23

BEIRUT -- Ernesto Ramirez Rigo, head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation to Lebanon, on Thursday called on Lebanese authorities to accelerate the implementation of financial reforms to unlock a rescue package.

"Lebanon is in a perilous situation; the progress of reforms in Lebanon is slow, given the degree of complexity of the situation," he told a press conference at the end of his visit to Lebanon, the Elnashra website reported. (Lebanon-IMF-Reforms)