‘Positive meeting’ for Hariri, Abul Gheit in Beirut

CAIRO – 23 November 2017: Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Abul Gheit described his meeting with the Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri at Bayt al-Wasat [Moderation House] as “very positive.”

He added in statements to the National News Agency that they agreed to meet again at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo when he next visits Egypt.

“I am confident that the future will hold a lot of good for Lebanon... and the meeting with Hariri today was very positive,” Abul Gheit said.

Abul Gheit met Hariri along with an accompanying delegation Thursday morning in Beirut.

During his statements, Abul Gheit did not want to reveal many details about the discussions, and in responding to the reporter’s questions, the Arab League Secretary General said; “I prefer not to dwell on details; there are ideas and measures that will take place, and which I prefer not to talk about.”

On November 22, Hariri returned to Lebanon after 18 days of absence to attend the country’s Independence Day celebration. He gave a speech in which he announced the suspension of his resignation, allowing more serious dialogue between political parties to take place.

“I presented today my resignation to President Michel Aoun, but he urged me to wait before offering it and to wait for more dialogue on its reasons and political background, and I agreed," Hariri added in his speech.

He added that this dialogue is supposed to tackle all his reasons for resignation. “I accepted Aoun’s request to postpone my resignation, hoping that this will offer us a serious chance to address our sectarian problems and their impact on our international relations, especially with our Arab brothers.”

On November 4, Hariri announced his sudden resignation in a short video from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and travelled to France with his family for a quick visit, where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron.