Saudi Ambassador Warns of Rift between Lebanon, Regional Countries

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri slammed on Wednesday statements that would cause contention with regional countries, calling on Lebanese politicians to avoid stances that harm the national interests.

“We urge all sides to be reasonable and avert rifts with nearby countries,” Asiri told reporters after talks with Prime Minister Tammam Salam at the Grand Serail.

Asiri's statement comes in light of remarks by Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah that Saudi Arabia must shoulder a bigger responsibility in the fight against the extremist ideology of the Islamic State group.

“Saudi Arabia bares the prime responsibility in the Islamic world for stopping the proliferation of this ideology,” Nasrallah said in a televised speech.

The Saudi Ambassador said that “Lebanon deserves sacrifices by all its people. Efforts should be exerted to maintain stability and support the army.”

He considered the Lebanese army as a “source of comfort and stability to the people,” hailing politicians who voiced support to the military institution.

Asiri later met with Kataeb Party chief Amin Gemayel.

The Lebanese army has been cracking down on fugitives across Lebanon. The battle between the Lebanese army and extremists was widely expected after members of the Islamic State group and al-Qaida's branch in Syria, the Nusra Front, launched several attacks over the past weeks in areas on the border with Syria.

In June, the IS declared an "Islamic caliphate" straddling vast swathes of Iraq and Syria, ordering Muslims worldwide to pledge allegiance to their chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The U.S. has formed a coalition of Western and Arab allies to battle IS, which has been accused of widespread atrocities in Iraq and Syria, including mass executions, beheadings, rape, torture and selling women and children into slavery.

Later on Wednesday, Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) reported that Asiri delivered a letter to Salam expressing his country's desire to grant the state 15 million dollars to rebuild the northern Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared, which was leveled in 2007.

Around 31,000 refugees were left homeless by the Nahr al-Bared clashes, which also killed 400 people, including 168 soldiers.

In the aftermath of the battles between the Lebanese army and al-Qaida-inspired group Fatah al-Islam militants in 2007, donors pledged during a conference in Vienna 345 million dollars.

But until now, only 188 million dollars have been donated, Salam said in August, urging Arab and mainly Gulf countries to fund the project.

H.K.

M.T.