Security Guarantees Prompt Saudi Arabia to Lift Travel Ban to Lebanon
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri and Tourism Minister Michel Pharaon announced on Wednesday that the kingdom lifted a travel ban to Lebanon after the security situation improved in the country.
Asiri in remarks to OTV said that the kingdom lifted the travel advisory issued against Lebanon.
Pharaon also confirmed the Saudi diplomat's statement.
“Saudi Arabia gave the green light for its nationals to travel to Lebanon as the security situation permits foreign and Arab tourists to visit the country,” Pharaon said in comments to LBCI.
The announcements come in light of a meeting between Asiri, Pharaon and Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq at his ministry's headquarters in Hamra.
A press release issued by the Saudi embassy in Lebanon stressed that “King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz is keen to safeguard the safety of Saudi nationals.”
The three officials discussed, according to the statement, the local developments and the security plans implemented recently in the northern city of Tripoli and the Bekaa valley.
The gatherers also tackled the problems that confronted Saudi citizens during their stay in Lebanon.
Pharaon and al-Mashnouq stressed that the government will continue to implement the security plan, vowing to safeguard Saudi nationals in Lebanon.
Asiri voiced hope that Lebanon would overcome the delicate situation it's passing through and meet all constitutional deadlines to be able to launch a “prosperous tourist season that would allow travelers to return to it.”
On Tuesday, media reports said that Saudi Arabia is likely to lift its travel ban at the end of May.
The report came in light of the return of Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awad Asiri to the country with his family on May 2 to resume his diplomatic duties.
Asiri had left Lebanon in September 2014 because “of the deteriorating security conditions,” as he stated at the time.
The Saudi diplomat stated upon his arrival in Beirut that there is no ban on visits by Saudi nationals to Lebanon.
Several Gulf states, including Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have repeatedly issued travel advisories, warning their citizens against visiting Lebanon due to the security chaos.
H.K.
G.K.
14 May 2014, 14:26
610
Welcomed move but maybe premature considering Lebanon is ruled by a militia and armed wings of families like the meqdads and zoaiters.
14 May 2014, 18:25
36
yes ado aka karim, he can
karim_ 23 hours ago 43
So Hariri can come back now?
15 May 2014, 06:59
12
lol @mowaten, and he says he never uses sectarian language or incites hatred!
14 May 2014, 14:52
37
I don't understand "security guarantees" when the country is full of racist M8 Hezbollah and Aounists who spend their days insulting sunnis as if they were all one and the same !
14 May 2014, 15:24
28
Who's the liar ? I only vote you down... never vote people up. You should shove your biased assumptions where the sun doesn't shine unless you can prove your lies which you can't.
Losers like yourself always revert to lies when they are bankrupt of arguments.
14 May 2014, 15:29
27
when someone tells it as it is, flamethrower gets all upset. Nothing of value to offer except insults and sectarian spite.
14 May 2014, 15:29
49
@Southern : are you saying Hezbollah doesn't belong to my environment ?
Since when are you the webster dictionnary ?
Here's the definition of Racism : "the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races."
Hezbollah is not a "race"... it's a rotten political and terrorist organisation. Your stance towards Sunnis is racism.
14 May 2014, 15:53
38
@Southern : Sectarian racists ? Sectarian racists are those who create a sectarian army to defend their sectarian interests. Who put their sect above the country and take orders from their sect's leader who isn't even Lebanese (Khomeini).
You are as much a terrorist as takfiris and are fueled by hate towards sunnis in general.
In fact, your entire existence (Hezbollah) is based on a Sunni / Shiite war for control of this region.
So don't you dare talk about others being sectarian when you're the prime example of sectarians.
My wife is part Shia by the way and worth 1000x Nasrallah + Khomeini. What would you call her for marrying a christian ? Do you support that ?
You want to prove you're not sectarian, find and enroll Sunnis and Christians into Hezbollah. And Drop the name Allah from your Kezb ! You're not worthy of it !
14 May 2014, 17:11
27
@Southern : I hate Assad because their "occupation" of Lebanon was worst than the Israeli occupation.
Lebanese deaths as a result of Assad (father and son) are more than those resulting from Israel. You cannot even deny that !
I hate Hezbollah because they have no clue how to build a country, economy. They have no political vision (politics has nothing to do with US / IRAN and wars).
I hate Hezbollah because they impose their will through weapons and don't respect laws or constitution.
I hate Hezbollah because they are the only page from the civil war we didn't "turn".
Where do you see me side with terrorists ? Hating Assad and Hezbollah doesn't mean siding with terrorists. It means siding with FREEDOM and DEMOCRACY.
Terrorism is what Hezbollah does daily to the unarmed people !
14 May 2014, 14:53
82
shouldn't we worry about the horrific trafiic due to idiot developpement planners and 60 billion debts
14 May 2014, 17:00
48
@Southern : Prove that I support Takfiris !
On the other hand, you support Hezbollah terrorists. No one with weapons is allowed to engage in discussions. Especially when you replace words with bombs and bullets.
Now buzz off and go die in Syria. A country you defend more than Lebanon ! In fact, you have more Hezbollah "martyrs" in Syria then in Lebanon. Isn't that weird ?
14 May 2014, 17:17
25
@FT : How do you come up with such lies.
The whole Lebanese government ? Yalla, name me all the minister and state their support for Hezbollah.
And let me remind you that Hezbollah without weapons is not a problem for anyone !
Why do you have to lie like Aoun and Nasrallah ?
Where in the lebanese laws and constitution does not supporting Hezbollah make you an outlaw ?
This is exactly the TERRORIST AND DICTATOR regime mentality of Iran, Syria and you know who ? THE TALIBAN ! You're no better than the scum you fight !
14 May 2014, 18:53
92
FC "And let me remind you that Hezbollah without weapons is not a problem for anyone !"
Does anyone also include Israel and the takfiris.
14 May 2014, 15:54
91
I think the word you are looking for is ethnic segregation, since most of us are of the same race. From my humble experience, Lebanese people don't see to have issues with individuals of different ethnicity, since they don't impose any danger to their existence. However, when individuals belong to extremist groups whose ideology is based on ethnic cleansing, then they start to fear for their existence, and they can not be blamed for using all means necessary to ensure their continous survival. In Lebanon, we have two groups that embrace that ideology, and they are on both sides of our beloved Ms, therefore it is only a logical consequence that both parties throw the same insults against each other
