Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Khalid Al-Faisal in Beirut… Aoun Promises to Visit Riyadh | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page
Media ID: 55362613
Caption:

Aoun met with al-Faisal on Monday at the Presidential Palace in Baabda/NNA


Beirut- Saudi Prince Khalid al-Faisal, advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Governor of Makkah Region conveyed two messages from King Salman bin Abdulaziz to Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun, the first to congratulate him on the election, and the second to invite him to visit Saudi Arabia.

“His Excellency accepted the invitation, and the visit should take place after the completion of the consultations to form the Lebanese government and his visit to the Kingdom will be the first to an Arab country,” Prince Al-Faisal said Monday.

The prince had arrived to Beirut on Monday in an official visit accompanied by a Saudi delegation.

In addition to Aoun, Prince Al-Faisal met with Speaker Nabih Berri, caretaker Prime Minister Tammam Salam and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, who had hosted a dinner in honor of the prince.

Aoun said his country was keen to enhance ties with Saudi Arabia, appreciating stances taken by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, towards Lebanon.

In a press statement issued Monday, the president thanked the government of Saudi Arabia over attention paid to Lebanon, in the Kingdom, pointing out that they are working and will keep working for the prosperity of the Kingdom.

The president, also, asserted that Lebanon is used to play positive role to serve common Arab causes, reaffirming keenness to keep on leading that role.

Later in the evening during the dinner hosted to honor the Saudi prince, prime minister-designate said: “Your presence among us today reaffirms the commitment of Saudi Arabia, its people and leadership, to the brotherly relations with all Lebanese, and its permanent sponsorship of Lebanon, the state of Lebanon, as the gathering representative of the will of all the Lebanese and their national decision.”

Hariri added that the Lebanese, who just came out of a long presidential vacancy, and who are looking forward to complete their constitutional institutions, are encouraged by al-Faisal’s visit, because the Kingdom has always been the Kingdom of good, and played a positive role in ending the civil war and reconstructing Lebanon after it and after every Israeli aggression.

“The timing of your visit with the accompanying delegation, on the eve of Independence Day, reflects the adherence of Saudi Arabia to Lebanon’s independence, sovereignty and prosperity,” Hariri added.

Hariri also asserted that Lebanon, which is attached to its Arab identity, is committed to all the issues upheld by the Kingdom.