Report: Hariri Wasn't Summoned to Saudi Arabia, Gulf Delegates in Beirut to 'Bless' Aoun's Nomination

Al-Mustaqbal Movement chief Saad Hariri was not summoned to Saudi Arabia against the backdrop of nominating MP Michel Aoun for the presidency, but has headed to the Saudi capital to attend to the financial and administrative crises at his companies, al-Mustaqbal daily reported on Monday.

Sources close to the ex-PM told the daily that Saudi Arabia did not summon Hariri to inform him of “reservations as for his nomination of founder of the Free Patriotic Movement.”

“A Saudi envoy will visit Beirut very soon to give blessings to the initiative made by Hariri” remarked the sources on condition of anonymity.

“The Saudi position with regard to the nomination of Aoun is not negative. Hariri would not have made a declaration of support if it was not under a Saudi cover,” they added.

The daily added that after a long talk and assurance that the settlement was Lebanese par excellence, the sources pointed out that there is a “Saudi-Iranian-Russian-American agreement to elect Aoun.”

“Delegates from Gulf states and Western countries might visit Lebanon in the next few days to support the Hariri-Aoun settlement,” they added.

Aoun was tipped to become president after Hariri formally endorsed his nomination on Thursday.

Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014 and Hizbullah, Aoun's Change and Reform bloc and some of their allies have been boycotting the parliament's electoral sessions, stripping them of the needed quorum.

Hariri had launched an initiative in late 2015 to nominate Hizbullah's ally and Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh for the presidency but his proposal was met with reservations from the country's main Christian parties as well as Hizbullah.

The supporters of Aoun's presidential bid have argued that he is more eligible than Franjieh to become president due to the size of his parliamentary bloc and his bigger influence in the Christian community.