hariri says resignation on hold pledges to stay in lebanon
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today
Egypt Today, egypt today
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

Providing A Potential Way Out Of A Political Crisis

Hariri says resignation on hold, pledges to stay in Lebanon

Egypt Today, egypt today

Egypt Today, egypt today Hariri says resignation on hold, pledges to stay in Lebanon

Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri
Beirut - Egypt Today

Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Wednesday he was suspending his surprise resignation, pending talks, providing a potential way out of a political crisis that has rocked the country.

In a rousing address before large crowds of supporters gathered outside his Beirut home, he pledged he would stay in the country and protect its "stability".
Lebanon has been thrown into turmoil by Hariri's shock November 4 announcement from Saudi Arabia that he was stepping down, followed by a prolonged absence.

The resignation was seen as a ratcheting up of tensions in the long-running rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and raised fears that Lebanon would be paralysed by regional tensions.

Hours after his arrival back in Beirut, Hariri met with President Michel Aoun, who had refused to accept the premier's resignation until he returned to Lebanon.

"I discussed my resignation with the president of the republic who asked me to wait before submitting it... and allow for more consultations," Hariri told reporters afterwards.

"I agreed to this request."

Hariri said he hoped his decision would "allow for a responsible dialogue in a serious manner... that would settle disputes."

In announcing his resignation, he had levelled harsh criticism at Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, saying they had taken over Lebanon and were destabilising the region.

He also said he had been forced to leave Lebanon because of threats to his safety, invoking the 2005 assassination of his father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri.

- Iran-Saudi struggle -

But he left the door open to withdrawing the resignation if the powerful Shiite Hezbollah group pulled back from involvement in regional conflicts.

Speaking in the evening after meeting parliament speaker Nabih Berri, Hariri called on "everyone" to respect this "policy of distance", saying that would "improve our relations with our Arab brothers ".

Hariri accuses Hezbollah of violating Lebanon's policy of "disassociation" from regional conflicts by fighting alongside Syria's government and assisting Huthi rebels in Yemen.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has said the group was open to talks, though whether any real compromise could be reached remained unclear.

The decision brings down the temperature after weeks of tensions, and some analysts said it suggested a deal could be in the works to save the consensus government Hariri formed just under a year ago.

"What this is saying, (is) there is still room for backroom discussions and negotiations," said Maha Yahya, director of the Carnegie Middle East Centre think-tank.

"Hariri would not have agreed to this (otherwise)," she added.

"There's already some consensus behind it. There's a deal that is being worked out, we still don't know what the details are."

There has been heavy international involvement in the search for a way out of the crisis, with France stepping in to invite Hariri to Paris after weeks of speculation that he was being detained in Riyadh.

Hariri, who holds Saudi citizenship and is closely allied with Riyadh, strongly denied he was being held in the kingdom, but nonetheless accepted the invitation and arrived in Paris on Saturday.

Before continuing to Beirut Tuesday, he stopped for talks in both Egypt and Cyprus, hinting at the various tracks under way to ease tension.

- Hero's welcome -

"The international community understands that really it's in no-one's interest to have one more failed state in this region," said Yahya.

"Definitely there is an effort to... calm things down a little bit."

It is unclear whether Hariri's government, which was formed in late 2016 as part of a deal across political lines, can be saved.

Lebanon has long been riven by tensions between Hariri's Saudi-backed political bloc and that led by Iran-backed Hezbollah, a stalemate that left the country's presidency empty for more than two years.

But despite the potential struggles ahead, Hariri appeared relaxed as he first attended a military parade to mark the country's Independence Day, and then appeared at his Beirut home, where large crowds of supporters had gathered.

As celebratory music played, the crowd chanted "Saad, Saad" and waved the blue flag of his Future Movement party.

"I'm staying with you," Hariri said, in an emphatic speech delivered at the door of his home in the centre of the capital.

"You are my real family," he said, before soaking up his newfound popularity with a walkabout near his downtown residence.

Outside his house, 32-year-old Hala waved a blue Future Movement flag enthusiastically.

"He managed to bring Lebanon together," she told AFP.

"His return is very important, even if there are many things we don't understand."

Source:AFP

egypttoday
egypttoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

hariri says resignation on hold pledges to stay in lebanon hariri says resignation on hold pledges to stay in lebanon



GMT 06:29 2011 Monday ,14 November

Matthew cruises to win at Ochoa Invitational

GMT 03:34 2017 Wednesday ,22 March

Tillerson to skip NATO meeting next month

GMT 13:44 2013 Friday ,15 March

Israel suppress Palestinian demonstrations

GMT 16:15 2017 Monday ,01 May

Moroccan Workers’ Syndicate

GMT 11:56 2016 Wednesday ,12 October

Toyota, Suzuki eye partnership as industry consolidates

GMT 15:42 2011 Thursday ,23 June

Express checks in with foursquare

GMT 10:49 2017 Sunday ,13 August

Car rams into crowd at violent Virginia rally

GMT 17:45 2013 Sunday ,20 October

5 Indian spices that are good for your health

GMT 08:41 2012 Saturday ,15 September

Italian magazine: will print Kate topless snaps

GMT 08:02 2012 Tuesday ,05 June

Zoe Saldana in Prabal Gurung

GMT 06:11 2012 Saturday ,15 September

Tunisia’s Media Conflict: Journalists fight for freedom

GMT 14:35 2015 Friday ,24 July

Awqaf Minister hails New Suez Canal project

GMT 16:34 2017 Thursday ,28 December

Hitler's Nazi-parade Mercedes set

GMT 11:22 2011 Monday ,10 October

Paul McCartney to play in Moscow in December

GMT 05:17 2015 Friday ,25 September

Pope expresses solidarity with Muslims after stampede

GMT 05:44 2012 Saturday ,21 April

ATV engine 95 HP

GMT 03:01 2011 Monday ,19 September

Laughter, tears at US television\'s Emmy awards

GMT 12:04 2012 Wednesday ,07 March

6 Music animation draws on 10 years of eclectic radio

GMT 01:00 2015 Sunday ,05 April

Barzani congratulates Abadi on Tikrit victory

GMT 13:24 2015 Thursday ,15 October

Tesla installs 'autopilot' update

GMT 06:17 2012 Monday ,02 January

Countries across the world celebrate the New Year

GMT 04:07 2016 Tuesday ,07 June

For new era of self-driving cars

GMT 08:21 2017 Saturday ,23 December

Saudi-Sudanese Deal to Ease Transfers

GMT 11:08 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Asian markets mostly down as tax cut euphoria wanes
 
 Egypt Today Facebook,egypt today facebook  Egypt Today Twitter,egypt today twitter Egypt Today Rss,egypt today rss  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday