Beirut - Lebanese Finance Minister Mohammad Chatah said on Monday the global financial crisis had created worries among the Lebanese but assured them that their money is "safe."

Chatah, who met with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman at the presidential palace in Baabda, said "the Lebanese currency and the banking sector are safe."

Chatah also assured the president that the deposits of the Lebanese and non-Lebanese in Lebanon were secure.

"The size of the increase in deposits until the end of September, 2008 amounted to more than 7 billion dollars," Chatah noted, which he said was an indication that Lebanon's financial situation was secure. (dpa)