Aoun Rejects Using Lebanon to Harm Saudi Arabia, Gulf States

Arab World

April 29th, 7:05am

Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat

President Michel Aoun met Wednesday with Industry Minister Imad Hobballah, who was accompanied by a delegation from the Industrialists Association (NNA)

Lebanese President Michel Aoun has said he rejected turning Lebanon into a "transit point" to harm Arab countries, mainly Saudi Arabia and Gulf states. “These countries have always stood by Lebanon’s side,” the President said during a meeting with Industry Minister Imad Hobballah, who was accompanied by a delegation from the Board of Directors of the Industrialists Association. Riyadh on Friday announced the suspension of the fresh produce shipments from Lebanon, saying they were being used to hide drugs. The Saudi news agency reported that customs officials in the Red Sea port of Jeddah seized 5.3 million banned captagon pills hidden in a consignment of pomegranates from Lebanon. “Saudi Arabia is a brotherly country and we are interested in preserving the existing economic cooperation with it. Today, we are exerting great efforts to uncover the circumstances of what happened and put things back on the right track,” the President stressed. Aoun explained that Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi has been assigned to follow-up the issue with the competent Saudi authorities. “We hope to reach solutions,” he said. The President indicated that measures approved at a meeting held at Baabda Palace on Monday will be implemented, and security apparatuses will tighten control over export from Lebanon to reassure countries that receive Lebanese agricultural and industrial products.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2945576/aoun-rejects-using-lebanon-harm-saudi-arabia-gulf-states