Bassil after meeting Macron: For fraternal solution to crisis with Saudi Arabia

Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said, in a statement following his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Tuesday, that Lebanon is seeking to reach “fraternal solution” to the crisis with Saudi Arabia over the sudden resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri, warning to resort to international laws is the situation is unresolved.

“Lebanon insists on maintaining good relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a bilateral frame to resolve issues. We do not seek any harm for the Kingdom and we do not accept any attack on it; but we also want to preserve Lebanon and to prevent foreign interference in its domestic affairs. We are seeking fraternal solutions with Saudi Arabia and there is no excuse for this exceptional situation. Time still allows us to solve the issue with Saudi Arabia in a fraternal way, and we hope we will not have to resort to international law because fraternity can resolve the problem faster,” Bassil said.

“Lebanon is free with its internal and foreign policy making according to the ill of is people who elect its authority and representatives,” he stressed.

“Lebanon does not interfere in other countries’ domestic affairs, and he doesn’t export violence to any place in the world,” he added.

Thanking Macron for his initiative towards the extraordinary juncture in Lebanon, Bassil said, “We want our decision to be free, made by the will of the people and rulers. We only want to live in peace,” he underlined.

“France must stress on respecting the international law and it has ideas and plans to resolve Hariri’s crisis with Saudi Arabia,” he revealed.

Bassil also said that Lebanon stability did not concern the country alone, but also the region and Europe.

“France expressed readiness to do what is necessary to stand by Lebanon,” he added.

“We are waiting for Hariri to return so that he practices his freedom as he wishes, and so that we venture into searching for solutions to our issues and concerns” he maintained

Source: NNA