Saudi Crown Prince Says Hariri in 'Better Position' Relative to Hizbullah
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in an interview to the Washington Post on Wednesday that Prime Minister Saad Hariri is in a “better position today” in Lebanon relative to Hizbullah.
He said that he was “unjustly” criticized for pressuring Hariri to resign in November. Adding that the PM is “now in a better position in Lebanon."
He did not elaborate on the Lebanese situation.
Hariri traveled to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for the first time since his resignation in the kingdom sparked a crisis.
The November 4 resignation and his prolonged stay in Saudi Arabia stirred tensions between Riyadh and Beirut, amid suspicions he had been placed under house arrest, until France intervened and he returned to Lebanon where the announcement to quit was reversed.
A source close to the prime minister said he would hold talks with Saudi King Salman and the Crown Prince.
On Monday, Hariri received and accepted an invitation to visit Saudi Arabia during a meeting with an envoy from the kingdom, Nizar al-Alula.
Relations between the two countries have been strained by the competing influences in Lebanon of regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The Saudi envoy's visit comes ahead of May 6 legislative elections, Lebanon's first since 2009 following three extensions of parliament's mandate.
Source: Naharnet
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