Saudi Arabia urged on Monday Lebanese officials to elect a president “as soon as possible to help save Lebanon.”
Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Waleed Bukhari met with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi at his summer residence in al-Diman to discuss developments in Lebanon.
“The visit is part of the constant cooperation with the patriarch,” said the ambassador.
The Saudi embassy said the officials discussed bilateral relations between Beirut and Riyadh and ways to develop them.
They tackled the latest developments in Lebanon, most notably the presidential elections.
They underlined the need for the election of a president, who would unite all Lebanese and work on strengthening ties between Lebanon and its Arab fold.
Spokesman for the patriarchate Walid Ghayyad said the nearly hour-long meeting mainly focused on the most pressing issue at hand, which is holding the presidential elections and Saudi Arabia’s local and international efforts to that end.
Ghayyad added that Bukhari expressed Saudi Arabia’s keenness on Lebanon’s stability, that its constitution and Taif Accord be protected and that no one impose conditions on the Lebanese people.
The Kingdom respects the will of the Lebanese people and will cooperate with any decision they take, he quoted the ambassador as saying.
