From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 22, 2016
Lebanon to seek Gulf aid after Saudis shut wallet
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLebanon’s prime minister says he will head a ministerial delegation to visit Gulf states in the near future after Saudi Arabia halted security assistance deals worth $4 billion.
The Saudi move comes after Lebanon failed to back the Sunni kingdom in its spat with Shiite powerhouse Iran, the leading backer of Hezbollah.
In a statement Monday, Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam insists Beirut stands by Arab countries.
Salam says it is necessary to rectify relations between Lebanon and its “brothers,” and “remove the stains” that surfaced recently.
Salam heads a unity cabinet that includes members of an Iran-backed coalition headed by Hezbollah and the Saudi-supported March 14 group.
Salam says Lebanon will maintain its policy of “disassociation” from regional conflicts.
— AP
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