Suleiman Meets Qatar, UAE Leaders; Qatari Emir Encourages Dialogue among Lebanese
President Michel Suleiman on Wednesday held talks with the leaders of Qatar and the UAE as part of his attempts to persuade several Gulf countries to reconsider their travel warnings to Lebanon.
In Doha, Suleiman briefed Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani on his recent call for resuming all-party talks, in line with the 2008 Doha Agreement, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported.
Sheikh Hamad stressed “the importance of dialogue among the Lebanese to maintain the stability of their country,” said NNA.
Talks also tackled means to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.
The two leaders also discussed inter-Arab relations and the developments in the region, said NNA.
Sheikh Hamad later threw a dinner banquet in Suleiman’s honor during which they resumed talks, NNA added.
Earlier on Wednesday, Suleiman visited the United Arab Emirates where he asserted that Lebanon is “ready to welcome and protect Emirati tourists.”
Meeting his counterpart, UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Suleiman said that the “Lebanese state and people are keen on the security and freedom” of UAE visitors.
During talks on bilateral relations, Suleiman inquired UAE President about the alleged decision to expel around 1,000 Lebanese expats.
Al-Akhbar daily reported Tuesday that some Lebanese expats, who were expelled during the past few weeks, were forced to sign a document claiming that they support Hizbullah or that they are carrying out “illegal security acts.”
Suleiman wished that the decisions relating to the stay of Lebanese expats would be “evaluated in accordance with the rights and duties sponsored by the UAE laws and systems.”
He noted that “Lebanon will resume national dialogue in the few coming days, “which contribute to the stability of the country and protects Lebanon from the negative regional developments.”
For his part, UAE President Sheikh Khalifa stressed the strong ties between the two countries, voicing his readiness to support Lebanon and strengthen bilateral relations
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