Report: Hezbollah official on secret visit to Saudi Arabia

Hezbollah’s Arab and international relations official, Ammar al-Moussawi, has been carrying out a secret visit to Saudi Arabia for the past three days, the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The daily noted that Moussawi had visited Turkey on December 6-7 at the head of a Hezbollah delegation, to attend a conference on Jerusalem.

Nidaa al-Watan added that Ankara later mediated Moussawi’s visit to Saudi Arabia, pointing out that President Joseph Aoun was put in the picture of the trip and that Speaker Nabih Berri had “calmly and skilfully” facilitated the move.

Quoting unnamed sources, the newspaper said “the visit is aimed at offering reassurances and not exchanging (Hezbollah’s) weapons for (additional) powers” for Shiites in state institutions.

“The Saudi approach is based on offering these reassurances instead of the appointment of a Shiite representative and a Sunni one in the Mechanism committee alongside Ambassador Simon Karam,” the sources said.

“The discussions are not limited to this, but also include the possibility of postponing the parliamentary elections pending the crystallization of the Lebanese and regional scenes,” the sources added.

The sources also noted that the file of reconstruction is not on the visit’s agenda, adding that “its success might open the Lebanese door to future Saudi aid.”

“The kingdom is looking forward to a smooth transition from the pluralism of arms to their monopolization, amid its concern that things might descend into chaos should a regional state keep sending funds to extremist parties in Lebanon,” the sources added.