President Aoun heads to Cairo for Arab League extraordinary summit after talks with Saudi crown prince

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun left Riyadh on Tuesday morning, heading to Cairo to attend the Arab League extraordinary summit on the Palestinian cause, accompanied by Foreign Minister Youssef Raji.

On Monday night, President Aoun held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, focusing on ways to strengthen ties between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.

Upon leaving Saudi airspace, Aoun sent a telegram of thanks to the crown prince, stating: "It is my pleasure, as I leave the skies of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to express my gratitude for the warm reception extended to me and my accompanying delegation during our visit to Riyadh — a reflection of the deep-rooted fraternal ties between Lebanon and the Kingdom.'' 

He added: ''Our discussions laid a solid foundation for a new phase in relations between our two countries, which we agreed to activate and develop across all fields.''

Aoun continued: ''As I renew my thanks, I hope you convey to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the deep appreciation of the Lebanese people for his historic stances toward Lebanon and its people. I look forward to meeting with Your Highness soon to continue discussions on the topics we raised."

A joint statement on the outcomes of the talks between Aoun and the Saudi crown prince is expected to be issued later on Tuesday.