Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz met on Thursday with the leader of Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea.
Geagea landed in Jeddah on his first stop in a foreign tour that would also take him to a number of Arab and western states.
A statement by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said that talks during the meeting focused on regional developments and issues of mutual concern.
The LF leader left Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport on Wednesday, accompanied by Minister of Social Affairs Pierre Bou Assi. His visit coincided with the arrival of the head of Kataeb Party, MP Sami Gemayel, to Jeddah, upon an official invitation, which was also sent to him by the Kingdom.
Crown Prince Mohammed also held separate talks with Gemayel on Thursday.
Geagea’s tour is aimed at following up on regional developments, according to the head of the LF media and communication department, Charles Jabbour, who pointed out that the party leader would seek answers on the ongoing talks between decision-making states, “especially with regards to Lebanon’s fate and the need to spare the country any sanctions due Hezbollah’s military and security role in the region.”
Jabbour told Asharq Al-Awsat that Geagea’s choice of Saudi Arabia as a first stop in his foreign visit “stems from the pivotal role of the Kingdom, which leads Arab efforts in confronting regional schemes to strike the unity of the Arab nation.”
“Saudi Arabia has long assumed a leading role in protecting Lebanon, starting with its sponsorship of the Taif Agreement and supporting the country’s economy. Over the past decades, it has formed a safety valve to protect Lebanon from the dangers of the Iranian axis,” the LF official stated.
