Macron launches a French-Saudi initiative to resolve dispute with Lebanon
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Alaina
- . December 5, 2021
- . Update: December 5, 2021 1:01 pm
Lebanon–Following comments made by former Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi, Saudi Arabia expelled Lebanon’s ambassador, recalled its ambassador to Beirut, and blocked Lebanese imports. Consequently, the French President Emmanuel Macron launched a French-Saudi initiative to address the crisis between Riyadh and Lebanon , from Jeddah, on Saturday.
Macron said that he had a long dialogue with the Saudi Prince on Lebanon and worked with him on the Lebanese file, ‘We and the Saudi Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, called together the Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and there is a French-Saudi commitment to helping the Lebanese people.’Macron stressed, ‘We made commitments with Saudi Arabia to Lebanon to support reforms, get it out of the crisis and preserve its sovereignty.’ He continued, ‘The Kingdom and Lebanon want to fully engage in order to re-establish their relationship in the wake of the recent diplomatic dispute.’
He added, ‘Currently, Saudi Arabia has taken into account two main things, the resignation of the Lebanese Minister of Information, George Kordahi, and the position and statements of Mikati regarding Saudi Arabia. The French President and the Saudi Prince discussed bilateral relations, areas of partnership, prospects for cooperation and the latest developments in the Middle East.
