BEIRUT (Dispatches) – After meeting the Saudi king along with two Lebanese former premiers, Lebanese ex-Prime Minister Najib Mikati claimed on Monday that Saudi Arabia would "extend a hand of support to Lebanon” as it faces challenges.
Another member of the delegation, Fouad Siniora, said the talks were important in terms of support for Lebanon’s economy, stability and unity.
The Lebanese government, saddled with one of the world’s heaviest public debt burdens, is facing a financial crisis that it seeks to address with long-delayed reforms.
Saudi Arabia was a historic backer of Lebanon until ties between the two were strained in recent years by the growing influence of the Hezbollah resistance movement in Lebanon.
The Saudi king "stressed the necessity of preserving Lebanon and soon there will be Saudi steps toward the Lebanese state,” Lebanon’s LBC TV cited Mikati as saying on its website.
"Our concern is saving the country in light of the difficulties that we are going through,” he said.
Siniora told Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV the former prime ministers discussed with Saudi leaders the importance of Riyadh resuming support for Lebanon. Former Prime Minister Tammam Salam also attended the talks.
In January, the Saudi finance minister said the kingdom would support Lebanon "all the way” to protect its stability. The same day, Saudi Arabia’s regional rival Qatar announced it would buy $500 million in U.S. dollar bonds issued by Beirut to support the Lebanese economy.
A Qatari government source said last month that Qatar had bought some Lebanese government bonds as part of the planned $500 million investment.
The optimism by the former premier comes almost two years after Lebanese President Michel Aoun admitted that Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who announced his resignation in a broadcast from Saudi Arabia, has been "kidnapped” by the Saudi regime.
The Lebanese president expressed concern in November 2017 over Hariri's situation and said the premier was living in a "dubious” situation in Saudi Arabia. He added that anything Hariri has said or may say "does not reflect reality” due to the mystery of his situation.
Any stance or move by Hariri "is the result of the dubious and mysterious situation that he is living in the kingdom,” Aoun said.
Aoun further called on Riyadh to clarify why Hariri hasn't returned home since announcing his resignation in the kingdom.