Aoun Says Keen on Boosting Ties with Riyadh after Meeting Top Saudi Envoy

A high-ranking Saudi delegation held talks Monday with President Michel Aoun as part of an official visit to Lebanon.

“I carried two letters to the president from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques (King Salman). The first contains congratulations on his election as president of the republic and the second contains an invitation to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Mecca Governor Prince Khaled al-Faisal said after the meeting.

“His Excellency promised to make the visit after the formation of the government,” he added.

In a statement issued after the talks, Aoun stressed Lebanon's keenness on "strengthening the Lebanese-Saudi ties," hailing "the stances that Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz has taken to support Lebanon."

He also thanked the Saudi leadership "for the treatment that the Lebanese are receiving in the kingdom," noting that "they have worked and will always work for the kingdom's welfare and prosperity."

"Lebanon has always played a positive role in support of the common Arab causes and we are keen on continuing this role," the president added.

The meeting was held in the presence of caretaker Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil and Prince Khaled was accompanied by Saudi State Minister for Foreign Affairs Nizar Madani.

The Saudi delegation held talks later in the day with Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Tammam Salam.