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.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/105168 |