UK Edition
Lebanese PM to meet Macron in attempt to defuse tension over Saudi 'hostage' claims
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri was on Friday preparing to leave Saudi Arabia for France, a move aimed at defusing political turmoil sparked by his shock resignation in Riyadh.
The Lebanese premier is due to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Saturday after allegations from Mr Hariri's political rivals back home that he was essentially being held hostage by the Saudi authorities.
The announcement of the visit came after Mr Hariri met French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Riyadh Thursday, with Lebanon's former colonial power Paris hoping to ease a crisis that has driven up tensions between regional titans Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Mr Hariri, a dual Saudi citizen, has been in Riyadh since issuing a statement on television there on November 4 that he was stepping down because he feared for his life while also accusing Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah of destabilising his nation.
The announcement reportedly took even some of Mr Hariri's closest aides by surprise. His subsequent failure to return home to officially quit in person fuelled speculation that he was acting under orders from his Saudi patrons.
Both Mr Hariri and Riyadh denied claims he was being held against his will, with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir insisting he could leave the country "when he pleases".
Mr Macron's office said the French leader would meet Mr Hariri at noon on Saturday.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun, who had accused Saudi authorities of "detaining" Mr Hariri and refused to accept his resignation from abroad, welcomed the news about the trip to Paris.
"We hope that the crisis is over and Hariri's acceptance of the invitation to go to France is the start of a solution," he said Thursday on the official presidential Twitter account.
"If Mr Hariri speaks from France, I would consider that he speaks freely, but his resignation must be presented in Lebanon, and he will have to remain there until the formation of the new government," Mr Aoun said later in a statement issued by his office.