Hariri Returns to Riyadh after Meeting Abu Dhabi Crown Prince
Prime Minister Saad Hariri held talks Tuesday in the UAE with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, on his first departure from the Saudi capital after the announcement of his shock resignation from Riyadh on Saturday.
Hariri returned to Riyadh after the talks with Abu Dhabi's ruler which tackled "the brotherly relations and the developments in Lebanon," his office said.
The Emirati official news agency meanwhile reported that Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed "stressed the UAE's support for Lebanon regarding the challenges and the regional interference that are facing it and impeding the course of growth and development in it."
The "regional interference" is also "threatening the safety and security of its brotherly people," the news agency quoted the Emirati leader as telling Hariri.
Hariri's trip comes after days of speculation in Lebanon that the resigned Premier is under an alleged house arrest in Saudi Arabia following his resignation over the weekend.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia are strong allies and are spearheading an anti-Iran coalition in the region.
Hariri stunned the Lebanese with his resignation on Saturday and a haltingly delivered televised statement from the kingdom fueled speculations.
In the speech, he accused Iran of meddling in Arab affairs and Iran-backed Hizbullah of holding Lebanon hostage.
Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah speculated on Sunday that Saudi Arabia had forced Hariri to resign amid the deepening Saudi-Iran rivalry.
Source: Naharnet
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/237853 |