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Tag: Lebanon

  • Lebanon Wants To Mend Ties With Saudi Arabia

    Lebanon Wants To Mend Ties With Saudi Arabia

    Lebanese President Michel Aoun said that his country is keen to establish the “best ties” with Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states…reports Asian Lite News

    Aoun’s remarks came during his meeting at Baabda Palace with Arab League (AL) Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki, reports Xinhua news agency.

    Aoun insisted that the diplomatic rift between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia must be addressed “through a sincere dialogue based on the foundations of Arab brotherhood, cooperation and coordination between the institutions of the two brotherly countries, given their historical relations which have always been and will remain beneficial for the two peoples”.

    Aoun emphasised the importance of differentiating between stances declared by the Lebanese state and those expressed by individuals or parties, assuring that Lebanon has a democratic system that guarantees freedom of opinion.

    The President also welcomed any initiative by the AL to restore historical relations between the two countries, noting that “Lebanon wishes the kingdom nothing but goodness, progress and prosperity, considering that a frank dialogue is essential to bring views closer and heal any rift”.

    For his part, Zaki said he is visiting Lebanon to understand the situation from Lebanese officials and explore the possibility of finding a solution to the diplomatic row between the two countries.

    “Our objective is to preserve the interests of both Lebanon and Saudi Arabia and reach a solution to this situation,” he said.

    ALSO READ: LEBANON: Fate of Kordahi In Balance

    Lebanese-Saudi relations have deteriorated over the comments made by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi criticizing Riyadh’s war in Yemen.

    Late last month, Saudi Arabia expelled the Lebanese Ambassador and banned all imports from Lebanon in protest against his remarks.

    Kordahi had said in a televised interview that the Houthi militia in Yemen have been defending themselves in the face of external aggression for years.

  • LEBANON: Fate of Kordahi In Balance

    LEBANON: Fate of Kordahi In Balance

    Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has urged Information Minister George Kordahi to resign from his position for the national interest…reports Asian Lite News

    “I repeat my call for the Information Minister to use his conscience, assess the circumstances, take the necessary position, and give priority to the national interest,” Mikati said on Thursday.

    I am planning on solving the row with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, he added.

    “We will never allow this issue to be the subject of political bickering and we will seek, in cooperation with all the faithful people, to reverse the decisions taken by the kingdom in a way that restores the smoothness of Lebanon’s relations with its Arab neighbours,” Mikati said.

    Lebanese-Saudi relations have worsened over the comments made by Kordahi criticizing Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, Xinhua news agency reported.

    ALSO READ: UAE announced withdrawal of its diplomats from Lebanon

    Last Friday, Saudi Arabia expelled the Lebanese Ambassador and banned all imports from Lebanon in protest against his remarks.

    Kordahi had said in a televised interview recorded weeks before his appointment as the Minister that the Houthis in Yemen have been defending themselves in the face of external aggression for years.

  • Lebanon assures support for Saudi Arabia in face of any attack

    Lebanon assures support for Saudi Arabia in face of any attack

    Lebanon’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has condemned a failed attempt to attack Saudi Arabia…reports Asian Lite News

    Lebanon’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has condemned a failed attempt to attack Saudi Arabia with two booby-trapped drones, stressing its solidarity with the kingdom facing any attack on its sovereignty, security, and stability, the Lebanese National News Agency reported.

    Lebanon assures support for Saudi Arabia in face of any attack

    The Ministry’s statement on Thursday came at a time when Lebanese-Saudi relations have worsened over the comments by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi criticizing Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen.

    Last Friday, Saudi Arabia expelled the Lebanese Ambassador and banned all imports from Lebanon in protest against Kordahi’s statements, Xinhua news agency reported.

    ALSO READ: UAE announced withdrawal of its diplomats from Lebanon

    The Yemeni Foreign Ministry on Tuesday also recalled its ambassador to Beirut for consultations after handing Lebanese authorities a letter describing Kordahi’s statement as “a deviation from the Arab position in support of the just Yemeni cause facing the Houthi militia.”

    Kordahi had said in a televised interview recorded weeks before his appointment as the Minister that the Houthis in Yemen had been defending themselves in the face of external aggression for years.

  • UAE announced withdrawal of its diplomats from Lebanon

    UAE announced withdrawal of its diplomats from Lebanon

    The UNited Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced the withdrawal of its diplomats from Lebanon and advised its citizens not to travel to Beirut…reports Asian Lite News

    UAE Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar said the decision to recall the diplomats affirms the countrys solidarity with Saudi Arabia, given the unacceptable approach of some officials in Beirut towards Riyadh, reports Xinhua news agency.

    Al Marar underlined the continuity of work in the consular section and visa centre in the country’s mission to Beirut during the current period.

    UAE announced withdrawal of its diplomats from Lebanon

    The UAE has also decided to prevent its citizens from travelling to Lebanon.

    Saudi Arabia on Friday banned all imports from Lebanon and gave the Lebanese ambassador 48 hours to leave the Kingdom, after comments by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi that called the Yemeni Houthi militia’s actions “self-defense” against the Saudi-led coalition.

    At a press conference on October 27, Kordahi dismissed claims accusing him of hostility against Saudi Arabia.

    ALSO READ: Israel and Lebanon urged to respect the Blue Line

    Lebanon’s Hezbollah has refused to bow to Saudi Arabia’s demand for Kordahi’s resignation.

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    Lebanese PM regrets Saudi’s decision to expel envoy, ban imports

    Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has expressed his regret at Saudi Arabia’s decision to expel the country’s Ambassador and ban imports after a Minister in Beirut criticised the Riyadh-led coalition’s war in Yemen.

    Mikati reiterated his government’s commitment to good relations with Saudi Arabia and called on Arab partners to put the diplomatic crisis behind them, reports Xinhua news agency.

    Saudi Arabia on Friday decided to ban all imports from Lebanon and gave the Lebanese ambassador 48 hours to leave the Kingdom, after comments by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi that called the Yemeni Houthi militia’s actions “self-defense” against the Saudi-led coalition.

    Saudi Arabia halted in April the import of Lebanese vegetables and fruits after discovering narcotics inside such shipments from Lebanon.

    At a press conference on Wednesday, Kordahi dismissed claims accusing him of hostility against Saudi Arabia and said “nobody should dictate to Lebanon what it needs to do in terms of keeping a minister in the government or not”.

    Lebanon’s Hezbollah has refused to bow to Saudi Arabia’s demand for Kordahi’s resignation.

  • Israel and Lebanon urged to respect the Blue Line

    Israel and Lebanon urged to respect the Blue Line

    A top UN official has urged the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israeli Defense Forces to respect the sanctity of the Blue Line…reports Asian Lite News

    A top UN official has urged the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israeli Defense Forces to respect the sanctity of the Blue Line, a border demarcation between the two nations published by the world body in 2000, in furtherance of peace and stability.

    The remarks by Stefano Del Col, chief of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), came during a celebration held at the mission’s headquarters in Naqoura on the occasion of the UN Day, Xinhua news agency reported.

    Israel and Lebanon urged to respect the Blue Line

    “For over a decade now, the iconic blue barrels have helped avoid incidents that could become flashpoints for misunderstanding and conflict,” Del Col said in a statement.

    “By setting aside differences to engage constructively on resolving contentions, marking the remaining parts of the Blue Line and avoiding unilateral action, we can avoid this risk,” he added.

    Del Col stressed the importance of peacekeeping for creating a space in which political and diplomatic solutions can take root, while working independently and impartially.

    ALSO READ: Israel foils smuggling attempt from Lebanon

    “We have to redouble our efforts to create space for a political and diplomatic solution, and a permanent ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel,” he said, adding that “in the meantime, and as a step in that direction, we should firm up the Blue Line arrangement as the essential de-confliction tool”.

    Del Col praised the dedication of peacekeepers and the commitment of the parties who contributed to 15 years of relative stability on the borders.

  • Israel foils smuggling attempt from Lebanon

    Israel foils smuggling attempt from Lebanon

    Israeli security forces said that they have thwarted an attempt to smuggle drugs and weapons from Lebanon into the Jewish state’s territory…reports Asian Lite News

    Troops on patrol observed suspects carrying bags from Lebanon into Israel at midnight between Friday and Saturday in Metula, a northern city near the countries’ border, Xinhua news agency quoted the military as saying in a statement.

    Israel foils smuggling attempt from Lebanon

    Soldiers and police officers were dispatched to the scene and confiscated two pistols and 21 bags containing nine kg of drugs worth approximately 350,000 new shekels ($109,171), the military added.

    ALSO READ: Israel to reopen for fully vaccinated tourists

    The Israel Defense Forces is investigating if the smuggling attempt was linked to Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, according to the statement.

  • Lebanon to hold parliamentary elections on March

    Lebanon to hold parliamentary elections on March

    Lebanon’s parliament on Tuesday voted to set the date of parliamentary elections on March 27, ahead of the previous schedule in May…reports Asian Lite News

    The earlier date was chosen in order to avoid clashing with the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

    Lebanon to hold parliamentary elections on March

    “The elections will be transparent and sound,” Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati vowed after the parliament session, Xinhua news agency reported.

    ASLO READ: Iran helps the families affected by terrorist attacks in Afghan

    The next parliamentary elections will be the first since the country’s popular uprising in October 2019, when hundreds of thousands of people demanded for the overhaul of the political system.

    Lebanon is currently suffering from its worst financial crisis amid a shortage of foreign reserves and the collapse of the local currency’s value by over 90 per cent.

  • Iran to continue oil shipments to Lebanon

    Iran to continue oil shipments to Lebanon

    Iran is ready to secure Lebanon’s need for medicines, food and medical equipment in addition to constructing two power plants…reports Asian Lite News

    Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that his country will continue to send oil shipments to help Lebanon overcome its fuel shortage crisis.

    The Iranian Minister’s remarks came during a press conference held here on Friday to wrap his two-day visit to Lebanon, reports Xinhua news agency.

    Abdollahian said that he hopes the oil export to Lebanon would take place within the framework of protocol agreements between the two countries in the future.

    Iran is ready to secure Lebanon’s need for medicines, food and medical equipment in addition to constructing two power plants, he added.

    ALSO READ: Iran Prez accuses US of being behind Kunduz attack

    The Iran-backed Lebanese Shia Hezbollah group has been sending Iranian fuel shipments for Lebanon since August amid fuel shortages in the country due to economic collapse.

    Abdollahian said at the conference that Iran fully respects Lebanon’s sovereignty and wishes to support the country through cooperation between the two governments.

  • Lebanon and IMF to resume talks for int’l support

    Lebanon and IMF to resume talks for int’l support

    Lebanon remains fully committed to engaging in a constructive, transparent and equitable debt restructuring process with all other stakeholders…reports Asian Lite News

    Lebanon has resumed talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), seeking a recovery program with international support, the Finance Ministry said in a statement.

    The statement issued on Monday said that Lebanon remains fully committed to engaging in a constructive, transparent and equitable debt restructuring process with all other stakeholders, reports Xinhua news agency.

    Prime Minister Najib Mikati

    “The government reiterates its commitment to a fair and comprehensive solution for all creditors and will engage, with the support of its financial and legal advisors, in good faith discussions with all its creditors as early as possible,” it added.

    The Lebanese cabinet formed the team in charge of negotiating with the IMF under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Saade Chami and including Finance Minister Youssef el-Khalil, Economy and Trade Minister Amin Salam, and Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh.

    Lebanon has been going through an unprecedented financial crisis with the local currency depreciating by over 90 per cent, limiting people’s ability to afford their basic needs.

    ALSO READ: Urgent steps must be taken to save world’s third pole

    The country’s social stability started deteriorating since the October 2019 uprising, adding to it is the economic impact of Covid-19 and the deadly Port of Beirut explosions in August 2020.

    Moreover, the failure to form an effective government to implement much-needed financial reforms accelerated the deterioration of the socioeconomic situation by resulting in the collapse of the Lebanese pound and an increase in annual inflation by 158 per cent with food inflation going up by 550 per cent.

    The country’s poverty rate is currently hovering over 78 per cent.

  • Iran’s fuel shipments violate Lebanon’s sovereignty: Mikati

    Iran’s fuel shipments violate Lebanon’s sovereignty: Mikati

    The Tehran-aligned group began bringing tanker trucks carrying fuel from Iran, a move it says should ease a crippling energy crisis in Lebanon…reports Asian Lite News

    Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Iranian fuel shipments imported by the Hezbollah movement constitute a breach of Lebanon’s sovereignty, according to comments published by his office.

    “The violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty makes me sad,” Mikati told CNN in an interview, his office said in a posting on Twitter.

    He added: “But I’m not concerned that sanctions can be imposed” on Lebanon “because the operation was carried out without the involvement of the Lebanese government.”

    Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati

    The Tehran-aligned group on Thursday began bringing tanker trucks carrying fuel from Iran, a move it says should ease a crippling energy crisis in Lebanon.

    A tanker ship carried the fuel to Syria and from there it crossed into Lebanon. Both Syria and Iran are under US sanctions.

    Meanwhile, authorities have seized 20 tons of ammonium nitrate — the same chemical behind a deadly explosion last year at Beirut’s port — in the eastern Bekaa Valley, state media said.

    Ammonium nitrate is an odorless crystalline substance commonly used as a fertilizer that has been the cause of numerous industrial explosions over the decades.

    ALSO READ: ‘A new chapter in Iran-Tajikistan ties’

    The National News Agency said security forces raided a fertilizer warehouse in the eastern Bekaa Valley, considered a hub for smuggling operations between Lebanon and Syria.

    Authorities seized 20 tons of the dangerous chemical stored inside a truck parked at the warehouse, the NNA said, adding the material was transported to a “safe place.”

    Lebanese President Michel Aoun

    Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi called on security forces to conduct a sweep of the area. He said: “We must do our best to move these materials to a safer place away from exposure to heat and sun” to avoid a “catastrophe.”

    The company that owns the ammonium nitrate said that the fertilizer was intended for agricultural use.