Salam Returns from Istanbul after Meeting Qatar, Turkey Leaders

Prime Minister Tammam Salam returned to Beirut on Friday after taking part in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Conference and meeting on its sidelines with the leaders of Qatar and Turkey.

“Salam and the accompanying delegation returned to Beirut from Istanbul this afternoon,” state-run National News Agency reported.

In the presence of the Lebanese delegation, Salam had met with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, NNA said.

The Qatari leader “expressed his country's understanding of the Lebanese situation and components” and stressed “the importance of consolidating unity and electing a president,” the agency said.

Salam also met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who hoped Lebanon will be able to overcome the presidential vacuum crisis soon and noted that “Turkey and Lebanon share the burden of hosting the Syrian refugees,” NNA added.

On Thursday, Salam urged the OIC to help Lebanon in shouldering the burden of Syrian refugees.

He said during a speech at the OIC summit: “We have warned that failure to provide the necessary aid to the refugees and the Lebanese community will not only weaken the already exhausted Lebanese economy, but it will create security instability.”

“Lebanon rejects all forms of naturalization of the Syrian refugees and believes that their presence in Lebanon is temporary,” he stated.

Salam had held brief talks with Saudi King Salman and Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah on the sidelines of the summit.

Lebanon voiced its reservations over a clause in the summit's closing statement that condemned Hizbullah for alleged “terrorist activities in Syria, Bahrain, Kuwait and Yemen and for supporting terrorist movements and groups undermining the security and stability of OIC Member States."

Lebanon also voiced reservations over a clause addressing the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region and another clause related to Kosovo.

Y.R.