2nd LD-Writethru: Lebanon's PM Hariri withdraws resignation

BEIRUT, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri withdrew his resignation during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, which was chaired by President Michel Aoun at the Baabda Palace.

The meeting is the first that was held in more than a month due to the political crisis caused by Hariri's resignation announcement in early November.

During the meeting, the cabinet unanimously endorsed a new dissociation policy.

"All groups in the Lebanese government are committed to dissociate themselves from regional conflicts," Hariri told reporters after the meeting.

At the beginning of the meeting, President Aoun said Lebanon's unity during Hariri's absence was vital and enabled the country to get through the crisis.

"Countries are not measured by their size. They are all equal in dignity and hence our approach to the crisis was based on not accepting any encroachment on our dignity by any authority in the world," Aoun said on his official Twitter account.

"We took the decision to confront (the situation) and not to take an approach of appeasement. Our unity as Lebanese was the basis in protecting the country's stability," he added.

Hariri also highlighted officials' responsibilities to protect Lebanon from dangers facing the country.

"We hope that this session constitutes a new opportunity for cooperation and for protecting Lebanon, especially since we all refused to be drawn in by attempts to create an atmosphere of chaos to the country," the prime minister said.

The decision to call the session was made late Monday night, ahead of Hariri's scheduled visit to Paris on Friday to participate in a high-level International Support Group for Lebanon meeting. Enditem