Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awad Assiri stated on Saturday that President Michel Sleiman has been a wise captain whose sole concern was Lebanon's interest.
In his farewell address to President Sleiman at the Baabda Palace, Assiri said "the National Cedar Citation of the Rank of Officer conferred upon me by the president today testifies to the depth of bilateral Saudi-Lebanese relations." He also noted that Sleiman's main concern was to strengthen national unity and implement the constitution by moving Lebanon forward towards security, prosperity and stability. Assiri concluded by expressing his hope that Lebanese factions speed up the election of a new president in order to avoid vacuum at the Presidential level.