Bassil Says State Prioritizes Interests of Lebanese Abroad

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil stressed on Wednesday that Lebanon is keen to maintain a good relationship with all Arab countries, in particular Saudi Arabia.

He stressed during a meeting with a delegation from the Lebanese Business and Investment Council in Saudi Arabia that “the foreign ministry adopted a policy that sets the interests of Lebanese abroad as a priority.”

Bassil noted that his ministry's responsibility is to safeguard the interests of the Lebanese.

He agreed with the delegation on a “mechanism to stimulate the economic activity between Lebanon and the kingdom and to assist the businessmen financially and morally.”

The minister called for the appointed of an economic charge d'affaires in the Saudi Arabia to fortify the economic ties between the two countries.

Top Lebanese businessmen based in Saudi Arabia are touring Lebanese officials to tackle Hizbullah's recent campaign on the kingdom.

On Wednesday, the delegation met with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea.

Hizbullah has been recently directing a barrage of criticism at Saudi Arabia over its airstrike campaign targeting Yemen's Shiite Huthi rebels.

Hizbullah officials have warned Riyadh that it would be defeated and would pay a heavy price for its attacks.

There are around 500,000 Lebanese expats in the Gulf.

Last month, the UAE, which hosts 100,000 Lebanese workers, expelled around 70 expatriates, mostly Shiites.

In 2009, dozens of Lebanese Shiites who had lived in the UAE for years were expelled on suspicion of links with Hizbullah.

In 2013, Qatar deported 18 Lebanese nationals after the Gulf Cooperation Council decided to impose sanctions against Hizbullah for its military intervention in war-torn Syria to support President Bashar Assad.

H.K.

M.T.