News
Latest News
news bulletin
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Other News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Beirut
23
o
Mount Lebanon
23
o
Metn
23
o
Keserwan
23
o
North
24
o
South
21
o
Bekaa
17
o
Live
Video
Audio
Schedule
shows
العربية
watching now
Morning Talk
SUBSCRIBE
Home
Notification
Live
Video
Audio
shows
Beirut
23
o
Mount Lebanon
23
o
Metn
23
o
Keserwan
23
o
North
24
o
South
21
o
Bekaa
17
o
News
Programs
The News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Programs
Documentaries
Lebanon’s Centennial
News Bulletin
The Untold History
Talk Show
Series
Sports
Variety
Other
Comedy
Oldies
Breaking News
Latest News
Highlighted News
Most Read
Videos
العربية
Watch the latest programs and the latest developments on your favorite screen
Shows
Join millions of followers
Who We Are
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Careers
Channel frequencies
Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions
REPORT: President Aoun hopes Hariri visit to France will end crisis
Author:
Hoda Chedid
Breaking Headlines
2017-11-16 | 05:45
High views
Share
Share
REPORT: President Aoun hopes Hariri visit to France will end crisis
5
min
REPORT: President Aoun hopes Hariri visit to France will end crisis
President Michel Aoun said on Thursday he hoped the crisis over Saad Hariri's resignation as prime minister would soon end with Hariri planning to leave Saudi Arabia to visit France.
French officials said they did not know how long Hariri would stay there before returning to Beirut but hoped his trip would help soothe the crisis by demonstrating he was not being held in Saudi Arabia, as President Michel Aoun has said.
"His arrival will ease tensions by showing he's free to move around," said a French diplomatic source. There would be consultations before he returns to Beirut to build international support for him to negotiate a new political deal in Lebanon, French officials said.
"We're not trying to find a compromise or open dialogue between sides, but trying to create the conditions for a de-escalation in the region. We want to avoid a proliferation of crises that could get out of control."
Hariri announced his resignation while in Saudi Arabia on Nov. 4 in a televised statement in which he railed against Riyadh's bitter foe Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah.
That thrust Lebanon into both a domestic political crisis and the Middle East's overarching rivalry that pits Saudi Arabia and its allies against a bloc led by Iran.
Hariri accepted an invitation to France on Thursday after meeting French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who was visiting Saudi Arabia.
Aoun, who has refused to accept Hariri's resignation unless he returns to Lebanon, has accused Riyadh of holding Hariri hostage. He said on Thursday on Twitter he hoped "the crisis is over" and the France visit would open the door to a solution.
Lebanon maintains a delicate sectarian balance, after Sunnis, Shi'ites, Christians and Druze fought a 1975-1990 civil war, with factions often backed by regional rivals.
Hariri, a Sunni Muslim, is a long-term ally of Saudi Arabia. Aoun, a Christian, is a political ally of Hezbollah, the heavily armed Shi'ite Muslim movement that is backed by Iran. Hariri's government is a power-sharing coalition that includes Hezbollah, but Riyadh has made clear it opposes the group's influence.
Since Hariri announced his resignation, Saudi Arabia accused Lebanon of declaring war on it, citing Hezbollah's role fighting in other Arab countries.
On Thursday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Saudi Arabia was consulting with its allies about what leverage to use against Hezbollah. "We will make the decision when the time comes," he told Reuters in an interview.
DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE
Top Lebanese officials and senior politicians close to Hariri say he was forced to quit and was being held by the Saudis. Politicians from all sides in Lebanon have called for his return to Beirut.
Saudi Arabia has denied forcing Hariri to resign or detaining him. In an interview on Sunday, his first public comments since resigning, Hariri said he is free to leave and would return home soon to formally submit his resignation.
He also warned of possible Saudi action against Lebanon, including sanctions and threats to the livelihood of Lebanese workers in the Gulf, unless Hezbollah is reined in.
Aoun said in a statement that once Hariri returned to Lebanon he would have to stay until a new government was formed.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil has toured European capitals seeking diplomatic help to end the crisis. On Thursday he was in Germany and scheduled to visit Turkey. On Friday he will visit Russia.
France's foreign minister, Le Drian, said Paris was working to normalize the situation in Lebanon. After meeting Le Drian, Jubeir described Hezbollah as an arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards and said it must disarm for Lebanon to be stable.
"Whenever we see a problem, we see Hezbollah act as an arm or agent of Iran and this has to come to an end," he said.
REUTERS
To watch the full report, please clcik on the video above.
Breaking Headlines
Aoun
Lebanon
Hariri
France
Saudi Arabia
Resignation
Next
Grand Mufti Derian travels to Saudi Arabia for Hajj
Recommended For You
d-none hideMe
0
Breaking Headlines
2024-05-01
War casualty update: Israeli army reports 3,330 injuries, 1,602 during ground ops
Breaking Headlines
2024-05-01
War casualty update: Israeli army reports 3,330 injuries, 1,602 during ground ops
0
Middle East News
2024-04-25
Over 430 settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque on third day of Passover holiday: Al Jazeera reports
Middle East News
2024-04-25
Over 430 settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque on third day of Passover holiday: Al Jazeera reports
0
Lebanon News
2024-04-23
Hezbollah announces launching 'dozens of rockets' at Israel in response to civilian deaths
Lebanon News
2024-04-23
Hezbollah announces launching 'dozens of rockets' at Israel in response to civilian deaths
0
Lebanon News
2024-04-21
Breaking: Israeli airstrike hits Naqoura, reports NNA
Lebanon News
2024-04-21
Breaking: Israeli airstrike hits Naqoura, reports NNA
Subscribe to our VOD
SUBSCRIBE
Our visitors readings
d-none hideMe
0
News Bulletin Reports
12:21
Aid for Lebanon: EU announces one billion euro aid package for Lebanon
News Bulletin Reports
12:21
Aid for Lebanon: EU announces one billion euro aid package for Lebanon
0
Middle East News
2024-04-20
Iran to respond at 'maximum level' if Israel acts against its interests, FM says
Middle East News
2024-04-20
Iran to respond at 'maximum level' if Israel acts against its interests, FM says
0
Middle East News
2024-04-26
Ambrey: Missiles sighted 15 nautical miles southwest of Yemen's Mokha
Middle East News
2024-04-26
Ambrey: Missiles sighted 15 nautical miles southwest of Yemen's Mokha
0
Israel-Gaza War Updates
00:56
Blinken: The sole obstacle to Gaza ceasefire is Hamas
Israel-Gaza War Updates
00:56
Blinken: The sole obstacle to Gaza ceasefire is Hamas
Videos
d-none hideMe
0
Lebanon News
2024-04-30
University Students Organize Solidarity Protest for Palestine (VIDEO)
Lebanon News
2024-04-30
University Students Organize Solidarity Protest for Palestine (VIDEO)
0
Lebanon News
2023-12-11
Breaking: Israel launches raid north of Litani on Monday (Video)
Lebanon News
2023-12-11
Breaking: Israel launches raid north of Litani on Monday (Video)
0
Lebanon News
2023-11-02
Exclusive to LBCI: U.S. State Department's Wooster Stresses Lebanon Must Avoid War, Sees Renewed Push for Two-State Solution
Lebanon News
2023-11-02
Exclusive to LBCI: U.S. State Department's Wooster Stresses Lebanon Must Avoid War, Sees Renewed Push for Two-State Solution
0
Lebanon News
2023-10-18
Protests Erupt near US Embassy in Awkar Against Israeli Attacks on Al-Maamadani Hospital in Gaza
Lebanon News
2023-10-18
Protests Erupt near US Embassy in Awkar Against Israeli Attacks on Al-Maamadani Hospital in Gaza
0
Lebanon News
2023-10-05
ATFL's Ambassador Edward Gabriel on Navigating Through Economic, Political, and Refugee Crises
Lebanon News
2023-10-05
ATFL's Ambassador Edward Gabriel on Navigating Through Economic, Political, and Refugee Crises
0
Sports News
2023-08-31
Amir Saoud Powers Lebanon to Victory Over Cote d'Ivoire: A Deep Dive Into The Numbers
Sports News
2023-08-31
Amir Saoud Powers Lebanon to Victory Over Cote d'Ivoire: A Deep Dive Into The Numbers
0
Sports News
2023-08-29
France Edges Past Lebanon in a Nail-Biter at FIBA World Cup 2023: A Statistical Deep Dive
Sports News
2023-08-29
France Edges Past Lebanon in a Nail-Biter at FIBA World Cup 2023: A Statistical Deep Dive
0
Lebanon News
2019-02-28
Pierre el-Daher, the man who defeated the Lebanese Forces
Lebanon News
2019-02-28
Pierre el-Daher, the man who defeated the Lebanese Forces
Most read
d-none hideMe
24 hours
7 days
Month
1
Lebanon News
02:52
Abou Nader: Lebanese people reject European aid as a bribe to contain refugees
Lebanon News
02:52
Abou Nader: Lebanese people reject European aid as a bribe to contain refugees
2
Lebanon News
03:52
Lebanon ranks 140th in World Press Freedom Index amid economic and political crisis
Lebanon News
03:52
Lebanon ranks 140th in World Press Freedom Index amid economic and political crisis
3
Lebanon News
03:05
President Macron receives Walid Jumblatt, discusses Lebanon's political situation
Lebanon News
03:05
President Macron receives Walid Jumblatt, discusses Lebanon's political situation
4
Lebanon News
04:58
Joseph Gebeily to LBCI: Maarab meeting was a success
Lebanon News
04:58
Joseph Gebeily to LBCI: Maarab meeting was a success
5
News Bulletin Reports
12:21
Aid for Lebanon: EU announces one billion euro aid package for Lebanon
News Bulletin Reports
12:21
Aid for Lebanon: EU announces one billion euro aid package for Lebanon
6
News Bulletin Reports
12:25
Normalization agreement nears: Will Saudi-Israeli normalization materialize soon?
News Bulletin Reports
12:25
Normalization agreement nears: Will Saudi-Israeli normalization materialize soon?
7
Lebanon News
05:19
Zafer Nasser discusses Jumblatt-Macron meeting
Lebanon News
05:19
Zafer Nasser discusses Jumblatt-Macron meeting
8
Israel-Gaza War Updates
08:51
Britain sanctions Israeli groups and individuals for violence in West Bank
Israel-Gaza War Updates
08:51
Britain sanctions Israeli groups and individuals for violence in West Bank
Download now the LBCI mobile app
To see the latest news, the latest daily programs in Lebanon and the world
Google Play
App Store
We use
cookies
We use
cookies
to make
your experience on this
website better.
Accept
Learn More