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George Kordahi resigns in bid to ease diplomatic spat with Saudi Arabia
The Khleej Times reported according to Reuters, Lebnaon's information minister George Kordahi resigned on Friday saying he decided to put national interest ahead of personal interest, in a bid to ease a diplomatic spat with Saudi Arabia sparked by comments he made on the Yemen conflict.
Kordahi said he resigned ahead of President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Riyadh hoping that during the visit Macron would help ease the crisis with Lebanon.
The sources said Kordahi’s resignation aimed to open the door for negotiations by Macron to resolve the dispute during a planned visit to Saudi Arabia this weekend.
Lebanon-Flag of Lebanon/PixabayCritical comments by Kordahi on the Saudi-led war in Yemen led Saudi Arabia in late October to expel Lebanon’s envoy to the kingdom, recall its ambassador and ban all imports from Lebanon, dealing a new blow to the country’s ailing economy.
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Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said last month that the kingdom’s decision to cut ties was driven by Iran-backed Hezbollah’s growing grip on Lebanon and that dealing with Lebanon’s Hezbollah-backed government “is not productive and not helpful”.
Hezbollah had backed Kordahi’s decision not to resign, saying that Riyadh had contrived the crisis and Lebanon should not bow to foreign dictates.
Source: khaleejtimes
