BEIRUT (RIA Novosti): The Lebanese authorities expect to resolve the diplomatic conflict with the countries of the Persian Gulf and with Saudi Arabia in particular, said Foreign Minister Abdallah Buhabib.
“Lebanon hopes to resolve the crisis with the Gulf countries and reaffirms its commitment to commitments to the Arab world and Saudi Arabia in particular,” Buhabib told reporters after an emergency ministerial meeting on Saturday.
According to the minister, a representative from the United States was invited to the meeting, as “the States can assist in resolving the conflict.”
Speaking about the resignation of the Mikati cabinet of ministers, Buhabib said that “the work of the government will continue, as it is unacceptable to leave the country without a government.”
On Friday, Saudi Arabia’s state television reported that Riyadh was officially recalling its ambassador to Lebanon for consultations and demanded that the Lebanese ambassador leave the KSA within 48 hours. An Arab diplomatic source told RIA Novosti that Riyadh is considering the possibility of breaking off diplomatic relations with Beirut.
Later, the Lebanese TV channel MTV, citing its own source, said that all Arab countries of the Persian Gulf would follow the example of the KSA. Following Riyadh, Bahrain and Kuwait demanded that the Lebanese ambassador leave the country in 48 hours.
Earlier in the Lebanese media there were excerpts from the interview of Lebanese Information Minister Georg Kordahi to the Al-Jazeera TV channel, where he stated that the actions of the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen are aggression, and the rebels from the Ansar Allah (Houthis) group are forced to defend themselves. And the war in Yemen is generally pointless. He later noted that these words were said in an interview in August, before his appointment as minister.
He also said that he did not want to offend Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that Kordahi’s words do not reflect the official position of Lebanon on the Yemeni issue.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Friday evening demanded that Kordahi “make the necessary decision” in connection with the conflict.
The post Lebanese FM hopes to resolve diplomatic conflict in Persian Gulf appeared first on The Frontier Post.
