Lebanese PM meets leaders in Riyadh

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has held a series of meetings with officials in Riyadh ahead of Monday's Arab Economic and Social Development Summit. Mikati and the Lebanese delegation met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Sunday evening. The leaders discussed the Arab political scene, with focus on Palestine in particular. After the meeting, Abbas told reporters: "We talked about the Palestinian issue and the Lebanese view, especially after the UN resolution. There was also discussion about peace projects that can come from Europe and America. We also talked about the region in general and the situation in Syria." Abbas said that without a fair international stance from the United States towards Israel, the government will push ahead with its settlements, which will divide the West Bank and isolate Jerusalem from the Palestinians. He promised that the Palestinians who are now in Lebanon due to the conflict in Syria, would return to their homes when the crisis is over. Mikati also held a meeting with Secretary General of the Arab League, Nabil Elaraby, in the presence of the Lebanese delegation and representative of Lebanon to the Arab League, Ambassador Khaled Zeiadah. After the meeting, Elaraby said: "I had a fruitful meeting with the Prime Minister and we dealt with the problems going on in the Arab world concerning his state." He reiterated his desire for the Syrian conflict to come to an end, adding that it has had "significant implications" on many countries, including Lebanon. He described the war in Syria as an "endless tragedy" and admitted that he can't see how the problem will be resolved.