Bassil: PM's Remarks on Us Committing Foreign Policy Mistake Do Not Represent Lebanon, Govt. Policy

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil hit back Sunday at Prime Minister Tammam Salam over remarks that the minister had committed a “foreign policy mistake” through his stances at the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

“The prime minister's remarks that we committed a foreign policy mistake do not represent Lebanon or the government's policy,” said Bassil during an interview on al-Jadeed TV, when asked about Salam's remarks to Sky News television.

He noted that “some ministers escalate their rhetoric outside the cabinet and in their remarks to the media as they show softer stances during the cabinet meetings.”

Bassil's remarks come after the rival March 14 camp accused Hizbullah and the minister of sabotaging Lebanon's ties with Saudi Arabia, following a series of Saudi measures against Lebanon.

The measures started on February 19 when the Saudi foreign ministry announced that the kingdom was halting around $4 billion in military aid to the Lebanese army and security forces.

The kingdom later advised its citizens against travel to Lebanon and urged those already in the country to leave it, citing “safety” concerns. The rest of the Arab Gulf countries except for Oman followed suit, issuing similar travel warnings. Around 90 Lebanese citizens have also been fired from their jobs in Saudi Arabia, according to media reports.

Saudi Arabia has linked its move to "hostile Lebanese positions resulting from the stranglehold of Hizbullah on the state" and alleged Hizbullah "terrorist acts against Arab and Muslim nations."

It also attributed the move to Lebanon's refusal to join the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in condemning attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran last month. Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran after demonstrators burned its embassy and a consulate following the Saudi execution of a prominent Shiite cleric, Nimr al-Nimr.

Addressing the Saudi leadership on Sunday, Bassil said: “Lebanon is a free country and it suffers from certain weakness, so help it become strong.”

“I'm willing to do anything to serve my country … but others must understand Lebanon's stances,” he added.

He also said he does not mind “communicating with the Saudi foreign minister if the other party is ready for such a move,” noting that the government has “decided to form a ministerial panel headed by the PM in order to visit Riyadh.”

Y.R.