Report: Suleiman Aims to Keep Saudi from Local Disputes by Refusing to Tackle Govt. File in Riyadh
President Michel Suleiman announced on Saturday that he will not discuss the government formation process during his upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Sunday.
It said that the president is seeking to distance Saudi Arabia from local Lebanese disputes by refusing to tackle this file.
Ministerial sources interpreted the announcement as an “indirect response to March 8 camp claims that the trip to the kingdom will decide the fate of the formation of a new cabinet.”
They told al-Hayat: “The March 8 camp is accusing Saudi Arabia of obstructing the formation of a government.”
Meanwhile, Suleiman's sources told al-Mustaqbal daily on Sunday that he will discuss with Saudi officials bilateral ties, while stressing the importance of the Baabda Declaration and Lebanon's policy of disassociation from the Syrian crisis.
Talks in Riyadh will tackle the case of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and the crisis in Syria and efforts to hold the Geneva II conference, they added.
Suleiman is scheduled to meet with Saudi King Abdullah, Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz, Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal, and Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri.
He will kick off his visit on Monday.
over 10 years
Phil. that comment was racist and unacceptable.
sab3a ayyar... LOOOOOOOOOL You are funny! HA honorable men? HA are mercenaries on iran's payroll who are bullying the rest of the country . Anyway, suppose they kicked israel out in 2000 (which I dont really think they did), Why are they undermining our sovereignty as a state in 2013? killing patriot leaders, protecting Assad's interests, covering Amal's stealing, putting red lines on army attacking palestinian thugs? What you view as honorable men (Hahaha) are mercenaries.
over 10 years
Suleiman is going to Riyadh on a listening tour. Suleiman is in a tight spot torn between NATO\Interpol and KSA positions on both Lebanon and Syria ...
Suleiman knows the longer the Syrian crisis lasts the worse it will be for Lebanon ... thousands of jihadists entering Syria everyday. More refugees filling Lebanon.
It is now estimated that between 50 and 120 thousand jihadists are in Syria. Even that lower figure is higher than that of the Lebanese Army. Suleiman is no fool.
Suleiman knows that when the Syrian crisis winds down many of those terrorists will be headed for Lebanon ... and if they head to Lebanon in defeat they will be looking for revenge.
over 10 years
u forgot zoaiter
over 10 years
Saudi Arabia is the founder of modern-day terrorism and is the gravest threat to Lebanon's freedom and independence.
Down with the Al Saud terrorist regime!
over 10 years
KSA & co failed in Syria and now they are turning their $$ to ruin Lebanon.. Oil and terror are the two main exports of Saudi. They are simply seeking retribution from Alawites in Lebanon for their failure in Syria. They even got as desperate as supporting and sponsoring the use of chemical weapons (yes the haters will disagree.. But the mere fact USA didn't strike Syria proves that their never was evidence of the Syrian government launching the chem weapons attack).. The fact that their are no investigations into Rifaat Eid's claims proves that there is a ploy of retribution against Alawites.. Saudi espionage is running rife in Lebanon.. I hope the ISF and government agencies make these investigations public and transparent to get back some creditability..
over 10 years
Of course there is a plot of retribution against the Alawites and yes the Saudis are funding much of it ... That however does not excuse the twin bombings in Tripoli ... there can not be political cover for the horrific murder of dozens and the wounding of hundreds.
over 10 years
But Suleiman said this: “Up till this hour, a unified Cabinet was and is still the best option for me,”
That is not what the Saudis want to hear ... They have already given Siniora his marching orders ... no deal until Hezbollah is crushed.
Suleiman knows the strategy of M14 and the KSA and also knows that it will destroy Lebanon ... Christians will fare the worst in political terms.
What has happened in Iraq and Syria to Christians will happen in Lebanon should the government fall apart and civil war commence ...
over 10 years
@ Southern.
I doubt that Suleiman will change course ... but I could be proven wrong.
At this point we don't know what the US\NATO are going to back Suleiman with.
And at this point the situation in Lebanon is about more than money, it is about the fate of Christians themselves.
over 10 years
@ Southern.
Suleiman will not discuss the fate of Christians with the Saudis ... what I am saying is that Suleiman knows that Christians will get caught in the middle of the Shia\ Wahhabi crisis ...Just as they have been caught between the Shia and Wahhabi in Iraq and Syria. The worse the situation gets the more Christians will leave Lebanon.
over 10 years
For a President that has been stripped from his constitutional powers from an Islamic Wahibist Nation such as the KSA in my opinion he is walking a fine thin wire from one peak of a mountain to another without any safety harness.
Good luck Mr. President, I sincerely hope you reach the next peak without a fall or stepping on a land mine along the way to the KSA .Who are the KSA as well as the GCC states kidding ? With the wealth of knowledge from the Internet & social media most people are too smart to accept KSA 's
Involvement & Agenda in Lebanon's Affairs . Most of us Lebanese know what they really have installed for us & for our country's future .
Their Agenda will not be accepted nor will it be implemented !
Signed Wolf ...
over 10 years
ur truth tonto, not THE truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
over 10 years
Keep KSA and Iran and Syria out of our affairs. Kick out those traitors living in Lebanon pretending to be Lebanese but have foreign ideologies, agendas and loyalties.
Thank you Mr. President, you are the honest and patriotic president of this Republic and you have my love and respect.
Wise president.
Does anyone have the recipe of the achoura desert?