Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri noted Thursday that Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh's nomination for the presidency was a purely Lebanese initiative, adding that the kingdom “encourages” any efforts aimed at ending the presidential void.

“We hope to see a constructive dialogue among the Christian forces and we hope the results will be fruitful and quick,” the envoy said after meeting Kataeb Party chief MP Sami Gemayel in Bikfaya.

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri expressed hope on Thursday that dialogue between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal Movement would include all the Lebanese factions, setting the presidential elections and the country's security and stability as a priority.

“The kingdom views dialogue between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal as a positive step that should include all the Lebanese,” Asiri said in comments published in the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa newspaper.

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri announced Tuesday that his country supports any dialogue initiative that could pave the way for electing a new Lebanese president, “regardless of the events in the region.”

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia believes that the priority that Lebanon needs at the moment is enhancing unity among its citizens,” Asiri said after meeting Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain al-Tineh.

Saudi Arabia is likely to lift a ban that urged Saudi nationals to refrain from traveling to Lebanon due to the critical security situation in the country, LBCI reported on Tuesday.

"Saudi Arabia is inclined to lift the travel ban to Lebanon at the end of May,” LBCI said.

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri on Friday revealed that Saudi citizens were recently kidnapped and robbed in Lebanon, decrying the fact that the perpetrators remained at large although they are “well-known.”

“Some Saudis were kidnapped and robbed in Lebanon and the perpetrators were identified but have not been arrested until the moment,” Asiri said in an interview on MTV.

President Michel Suleiman telephoned his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad on Monday to stress to him that Lebanon supports stability and security in Syria, a Baabda palace statement said.

Suleiman “discussed with him (Assad) the latest developments, bilateral ties and the reforms that President Assad had announced,” the statement said.

Saudi Ambassador Ali Awad Assiri has denied there was a Saudi-Syrian initiative aimed at stirring Lebanon out of its crisis, saying Riyadh and the international community were keen on seeing an inter-Lebanese agreement over the deadlock.

“There is no Saudi-Syrian initiative for a solution. There are suggestions,” Assiri told As Safir daily in an interview published Friday.