Beirut / Naim Berjawi / Anatolia
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said, on Wednesday, that what was announced by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on Tuesday, bodes that the “cloud” that hung over Lebanon’s relations with the Gulf states “will disappear soon.”
This came in a speech he delivered during a cabinet session in the government palace in the capital, Beirut, according to a statement issued by the Presidency of the Lebanese Government, which Anatolia has seen.
Mikati addressed the ministers, saying: “You have followed and read with great satisfaction what has been broadcasted in the past two days, regarding the ministries of foreign affairs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Kuwait.”
He added that this “augurs that the cloud that has clouded Lebanon’s relations with its brothers in the Gulf states is, and as we all hope, will vanish in the near future, God willing.”
Mikati stressed “the keenness to activate the historical cooperation between our Arab countries and to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Arab countries and in any Arab-Arab conflict.”
On Tuesday, Riyadh and Kuwait welcomed what was included in a statement by Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, issued last Monday.
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it “welcomes the positive (unspecified) points contained in the Lebanese Prime Minister’s statement,” expressing its hope that “this will contribute to Lebanon’s restoration of its Arab and international role and prestige.”
In turn, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement on Tuesday, welcomed what was contained in Mikati’s statement, noting that it is looking forward to completing constructive measures that contribute to more security, stability and prosperity for Lebanon and its brotherly people.
In his statement on Monday, Mikati affirmed his government’s “commitment to normalize relations between Lebanon and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries,” stressing the “necessity of stopping all political, military, security and media activities that affect the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states.”
After a period of tension, a dispute erupted between Beirut and several Gulf capitals on October 29, 2021, due to statements regarding the Yemen war made by George Qardahi before his appointment as Minister of Information and led him to resign.
As a result, Riyadh withdrew its ambassador to Beirut and asked the ambassador of Lebanon to leave, which was later done by the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Yemen.
In January 2021, Kuwait submitted to Lebanon a Gulf initiative to “restore confidence in it”, which includes Gulf demands from Beirut, including non-interference in Gulf and Arab affairs in general.
Gulf capitals, including Riyadh, say that Iran controls the institutions of the Lebanese state, through its ally, the “Hezbollah” group, which Tehran and the group deny.
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