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Riyadh due to host Saudi-Lebanese summit to mend ties

Xinhua, January 8, 2017 Adjust font size:

Saudi Arabia will host a Saudi-Lebanese summit on Monday with the first ever foreign visit of the Lebanese president, Michel Aoun since his election in October 2016, Local news reported on Sunday.

The two-day visit might overcome the rifts that effected years of friendly ties between the two countries.

After his election, Saudi Arabia sent in November a high profiled delegation to meet Aoun and other top officials.

Saudi Arabia stopped its military assistance to arm the Lebanese defense forces in February 2016 because of what the country cited as Lebanese political stances against Saudi Arabia.

The decision includes stop to provide arms worth 3 billion U.S. dollars to the Lebanese army through France , and the remaining unpaid 1 billion dollars assistance to the Lebanese security forces.

The decision was taken as Lebanon didn't condemn the attacks that targeted the Saudi diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad and the endless negative statements made by Hezbollah group in Lebanon against Saudi Arabia. Endit