Hariri Criticizes Bassil 'Unilateral' Stance at Organization of Islamic Cooperation
Al-Mustaqbal movement chief Saad Hariri criticized on Friday the stance of the Foreign Ministry at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting on Iran, stressing that it does not reflect the opinion of the majority of the Lebanese.
“The foreign ministry's unilateral decision at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting does not reflect the position of the majority of the Lebanese,” Hariri stressed in a statement.
“A dissociation policy turns into alignments when the Lebanese foreign ministry finds itself for the second time standing alone outside a position supported by the OIC,” the statement added.
Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil expressed Lebanon's rejection of an Organization of Islamic Cooperation statement condemning Iran.
An emergency meeting of the foreign ministers of the OIC condemned on Thursday the attacks on Saudi missions and denounced Tehran's regional "interference".
OIC foreign ministers said in a statement that it "condemns the aggressions against the missions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Tehran and Mashhad".
Early in January, top Arab diplomats rallied behind Saudi Arabia, except Lebanon, in a dispute with Iran that has threatened to derail efforts to resolve Middle East conflicts including the war in Syria.
The Arab League session was requested by Saudi Arabia to discuss the attacks against its embassy and consulate in Tehran following the execution of cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
The meeting's closing statement condemned Iran over the attacks on the Saudi diplomatic missions and alleged interference in the affairs of several Arab countries.
“Are we in an attempt to dissociate Lebanon from diplomacy and arabism, and push it instead towards Iran's hostility and its interests for expansion?” asked Hariri.
He warned that dissociating Lebanon from diplomacy and from arabism is a “bad omen,” pointing to an “attempt to dominate the national decision against the will of the majority of the Lebanese.”
D.A.
G.K.
Source: Naharnet
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