Saudi Arabia summoned on Friday its ambassador to Lebanon for consultations in wake of the diplomatic row sparked by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi’s offensive comments about the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia also expelled the Lebanese ambassador to Riyadh, giving him 48 hours to leave the Kingdom, reported the Saudi Press Agency.
Saudi Arabia also announced it was halting all imports from Lebanon.
A statement carried by SPA said Kordahi’s comments are “another in a series of offensive stances by Lebanese officials against the Kingdom and its policies.”
It added that Lebanon “has failed to take measures demanded by the Kingdom to stop the smuggling of drugs from its territories to Saudi Arabia, especially amid the terrorist Hezbollah’s control of all of Lebanon’s border crossings.” It cited Lebanon’s failure “to take punitive measures against people suspected of committing crimes against Saudi people and of failing to hand over fugitives to the Kingdom.”
The Saudi Kingdom said “it regrets that relations with Lebanon have deteriorated to such an extent due to the Lebanese authorities’ ignoring of facts and ongoing failure to take corrective measures that could mend these ties.” The Kingdom has always been keen on these relations based on its deep fraternal relations with the Lebanese people.
“The terrorist Hezbollah’s control over the decision-making power of the Lebanese state has transformed Lebanon into a platform to carry out projects that are harmful to Lebanon and its fraternal people, with whom the Kingdom enjoys historic bonds that date back to the independence of the Lebanese republic,” continued the statement.
It also accused Hezbollah of providing support and training to the terrorist Houthi militias in Yemen.
The Saudi government said it was “keen on the Lebanese residents in Saudi Arabia, stressing that it views them as part of the fabric that brings together the Saudi people with their Arab residents in the Kingdom.”
It stressed: “The statements by Lebanese authorities do not reflect the stances of the Lebanese expatriates in Saudi Arabia who are dear to the Saudi people.”
