Saudi Arabia Calls on Lebanon to Elect President ‘as Soon as Possible’

Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi meets with Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Waleed Bukhari in al-Diman. (Saudi embassy on the X platform)
Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi meets with Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Waleed Bukhari in al-Diman. (Saudi embassy on the X platform)
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Saudi Arabia Calls on Lebanon to Elect President ‘as Soon as Possible’

Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi meets with Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Waleed Bukhari in al-Diman. (Saudi embassy on the X platform)
Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi meets with Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Waleed Bukhari in al-Diman. (Saudi embassy on the X platform)

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.



Oman, Arab League Welcomes US-Russian Talks in Riyadh

In this handout picture released by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during their meeting at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 18, 2025. (SPA)
In this handout picture released by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during their meeting at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 18, 2025. (SPA)
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Oman, Arab League Welcomes US-Russian Talks in Riyadh

In this handout picture released by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during their meeting at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 18, 2025. (SPA)
In this handout picture released by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during their meeting at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 18, 2025. (SPA)

Oman welcomed on Tuesday Saudi Arabia’s hosting of talks between the United States and Russia in Riyadh.

Oman’s Foreign Ministry expressed its support for “these initiatives to promote dialogue and diplomacy in pursuit of political solutions that foster peace, security, and stability.”

The Secretariat General of the Arab League also welcomed the talks.

Official Spokesperson for Arab League Secretary-General Jamal Rushdi stated that the Kingdom's hosting of these talks “represents a significant Arab contribution to global efforts aimed at establishing peace,” including resolving the Ukraine war.