Saudi king cancels Lebanon trip after Aoun defends Hezbollah weapons Joseph A. Kechichian/Gulf News/March 06/17
Visit was supposed to restore relations between the two countries which suffered due to Iran’s meddling.
Beirut: King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud has cancelled his upcoming trip to Lebanon because of the statements made by President Michel Aoun that praised Hezbollah and backed the militia’s right to bear arms alongside the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). According to a report in Al Nahar daily, the Saudi leader planned to visit Lebanon in late March 2017 to express Riyadh’s “desire to help the Lebanese state and encourage it to fulfil its Arab and international obligations.” King Salman, who welcomed Aoun in Riyadh on January 10, 2017, was hoping to ease tense relations between the two countries.
This visit was largely touted as starting a new chapter in the bilateral relations and Saudi Arabia was set to restore its financial assistance to the Lebanese army. “The visit was supposed to give Lebanon a strong moral and political boost from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council states, and ensure the unconditional return of Arab and Gulf tourists to Beirut. It was to be accompanied by tangible economic support for the Lebanese state,” an unnamed Saudi source told Al Nahar.
Lebanese hoped the visit would restore vital economic ties and that Saudi Arabia would give Lebanon $3 billion (Dh11 billion) to purchase French weapons for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) which it had previously withheld after Jibran Bassil, the Minister of Foreign Affairs who heads the Hezbollah-allied Free Patriotic Movement, voted against the unanimous Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation resolutions that condemned the January 5, 2016 Iranian attacks on Saudi missions in Iran. Observers point out that Riyadh has taken a more realistic approach to Lebanon, accepting Hezbollah as a local player, but, at the same time, rejecting its bullying tactics in the Lebanese government. Riyadh also rejects Hezbollah’s involvement in the Syrian war, where it has fought alongside regime troops and bolstered Syrian President Bashar Al Assad’s grip on power.
In an interview to an Egyptian TV channel last month, President Aoun defended Hezbollah’s arsenal calling it “an essential component of the means to defend Lebanon”. His statement drew wide condemnation from Lebanese society and the Arab world, who believe the Iran-backed group activities contribute to the destabilisation of the region. Hezbollah’s arms and influence has also been a sticking point for Saudi Arabia, which is currently engaged in Yemen’s civil war against Iran-backed Al Houthi militants. Riyadh is also incensed over recent speeches by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah where he escalated his rhetoric against Saudi Arabia and the UAE over their involvement in the war in Yemen.
French defence minister in Beirut, backs Lebanese army
Middle East On Line/March 06/17/Jean-Yves Le Drian pledges support for Lebanon’s military, says France will maintain commitment to ‘well-organised and robust armed forces.’
BEIRUT – French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian pledged support for Lebanon’s military on Monday during meetings with the country’s president and his Lebanese counterpart. After talks with Lebanon’s Defence Minister Yaacub Sarraf, Le Drian emphasised France’s committment to a “well-organised and robust Lebanese armed forces”. During his meeting with President Michel Aoun, a former army chef, he said France would continue to provide assistance to the Lebanese army, according to a readout provided by Aoun’s office. But there were no specifics on the reactivation of a frozen French military aid package, funded by Saudi Arabia, for the Lebanese army. In January, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said he was confident the $3-billion aid package would be restored after Riyadh halted it last year. Saudi Arabia said it had halted the aid to protest the power of Shiite militant group Hezbollah over the Lebanese state. But there have been hopes the aid might be restored, with Aoun, an ally of Hezbollah, visiting Riyadh in January and agreeing to new talks on the issue. Aoun’s office said he had thanked Le Drian on Monday for “the support provided by France to Lebanon in all fields, especially in the military field”.Aoun expressed hope for “the continuation of this support to enable the army to carry out the national responsibilities on its shoulders, particularly in the areas of security and stability in the country, and the fight against terrorism”. Le Drian is expected to meet Prime Minister Saad Hariri later on Monday.
His trip will also include a visit to French members of the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL in southern Lebanon.
