Hariri Explains to Hollande Reasons for March 14 Dialogue Boycott, Attends Lunch in His Honor in Jeddah
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri informed French President Francois Hollande that the March 14 opposition alliance holds onto its decision to call for the formation of a neutral government to salvage Lebanon, An Nahar daily reported on Sunday, as the ex-PM attended a lunch banquet in honor of the French leader in Jeddah.
The newspaper quoted French sources as saying that Hariri sent a letter to Hollande on the eve of his short visit to Beirut on Sunday.
According to the sources, the al-Mustaqbal movement leader explained to Hollande the reasons for the opposition's boycott of parliamentary sessions and the National Dialogue.
March 14 holds onto its stance in forming a neutral cabinet, he said in the letter.
“The final decision of March 14 is (aimed at) putting an end to the chain of (attempts) to surrender the country to arms and their regional masters,” Hariri reportedly told the French president about the arsenal of Hizbullah and its main backers Syria and Iran.
“The decision of the Lebanese to hold onto democracy and civil peace is the decision of March 14 to take a peaceful, democratic and nonviolent path,” he added.
Meanwhile, Hariri's press office announced later on Sunday that the former premier had attended a lunch banquet thrown by Saudi King Abdullah in honor of the French president in the Saudi city of Jeddah.
The lunch banquet was attended by the French delegation accompanying Hollande, Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz and a number of top Saudi officials, according to Hariri's office.
The opposition has been calling on Prime Minister Najib Miqati to resign over the Oct. 19 assassination of Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan, the head of the Internal Security Forces Information Branch.
It declared it would boycott the government and any political activity it is involved in after it blamed Syria and held the government responsible for the car bomb explosion that left two other people dead.
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