Lebanon PM Renews Call for Minister in Gulf Arab Row to 'Prioritize National Interest'

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati. (AFP)
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati. (AFP)
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Lebanon PM Renews Call for Minister in Gulf Arab Row to 'Prioritize National Interest'

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati. (AFP)
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati. (AFP)

Lebanon’s prime minister on Thursday again urged the information minister to “prioritize” Lebanon’s “national interest” over an unprecedented diplomatic rift with Saudi Arabia, but stopped short of asking him to submit his resignation.

The rift has threatened to destabilize the new government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, sworn in less than two months ago, and escalate Lebanon's economic tailspin.

“I hereby renew my calls on the information minister (George Kordahi) to judge his conscience and take the right position,” Reuters quoted Mikati as saying.

Mikati said the information minister’s resignation would help resolve a crisis with the kingdom and its Gulf Arab allies, and preserve the “depths and good relations with the Arab and Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia.”



Saudi, Brazilian Foreign Ministers Sign MoU to Establish Coordination Council

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira. SPA
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira. SPA
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Saudi, Brazilian Foreign Ministers Sign MoU to Establish Coordination Council

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira. SPA
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira. SPA

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has met with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira in Rio de Janeiro on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.

The two officials reviewed relations and discussed regional and international developments.

During Tuesday’s meeting, the ministers signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a Saudi-Brazilian Coordination Council, building on the agreement reached between the two countries' leaders during Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's visit to Saudi Arabia on November 30, 2023.

Director-General of the Office of the Foreign Minister Abdulrahman Aldawood and Saudi Ambassador to Brazil Dr. Faisal bin Ibrahim Ghulam were in attendance.