Lebanon PM says 3 billion USD Saudi military aid package remains "on track"

Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam said Thursday Saudi Arabia has reiterated its commitment to supporting Lebanon and that a 3 billion U.S. dollar military aid package remains on track.

Saudi King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz "affirmed to me that the decision to support Lebanon is permanent and ongoing" and that the grant in aid to the Lebanese Army is "irreversible," Salam said in an interview with a local daily newspaper, Annahar.

The reassurance came amid media reports in Lebanon that the grant had been halted because of verbal attacks on and hostile attitude toward Saudi Arabia by Lebanon-based Hezbollah following the start of a Saudi-led air campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Salam, who returned Wednesday from a two-day visit to Riyadh, said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Nayef told him that the grant "is permanent and on track" and that "it is not customary of the Kingdom to change any royal decision."

The crown prince was referring to a decision in 2013 by late King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz to grant the Lebanese army 3 billion dollars in military aid, which can be used to purchase weaponry and ammunition from France.

Lebanon has already received an allotment of anti-tank guided missiles as part of the grant, Annahar said. Endit