Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awad Asiri reiterated Wednesday his confusion over recent remarks and statements by Interior Minister Nouhad Mashnouq, deeming them as ‘unwarranted.”
In an interview with the Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal (Economy and Labor) business magazine, Asiri said that he met with Mashnouq Sunday, but refused to reveal details about the meeting.
“Minister Mashnouq explained his point of view and I will transfer it to officials in the kingdom,” he added.
In the same context, Asiri disclosed that the minister told him that his stances represent him and head of Future Movement Saad Hariri has nothing to do with them.
Machnouq said in an interview with LBCI’s kalam Ennas last Thursday that the “former Saudi policy” had pushed Hariri to travel to Damascus in 2010 “to adopt a conciliatory stance with the Syria regime.” He also said that the nomination of MP Sleiman Frangieh for the presidency by Hariri was proposed by Britain and later adopted by the US and Saudi Arabia.