Asiri Refuses to Assess Lebanese-Saudi Ties based on Hizbullah Behavior
Saudi Ambassador Ali Awadh Asiri said ties between Riyadh and Beirut are strong, stressing he would not assess them based on the behavior of Hizbullah.
“Lebanese-Saudi relations are stronger than being evaluated by Hizbullah's behavior,” Asiri told the Saudi al-Riyadh daily published on Monday.
“All Lebanese from all sects respect the Kingdom's deeds,” he said.
The diplomat also hailed the coordination between Riyadh and the government of Prime Minister Tammam Salam.
He said he has received phone calls from all Lebanese factions condemning Hizbullah's verbal attacks against Saudi Arabia.
Last month, Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah stressed that Saudi Arabia will be roundly "defeated" in its campaign against Huthi rebels in Yemen, which he called "unjust" and "illegal.”
Several Hizbullah officials have also criticized Riyadh, while the Hizbullah-backed al-Akhbar newspaper has published several reports against the country.
Asiri confirmed to al-Riyadh daily that he filed a lawsuit against al-Akhbar “for crossing its moral and professional boundaries.”
Earlier this month, al-Akhbar said Asiri's lawsuit was a “a direct threat to the lives of the institution’s employees, a blatant attack on the freedom of expression in Lebanon and a flagrant violation of norms and laws.”
It held the ambassador and his government fully responsible for “any form of moral, material or physical harm.”
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