Asiri Says Saudi Arabia Safeguarding Legitimate Institutions, Stability in Lebanon
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri stressed on Wednesday that his country's decision to boost the capabilities of the Lebanese army is to protect the country's legitimate institutions and safeguard its independence and stability.
“The grant comes in light of the enormous challenges confronting the Lebanese army,” Asiri said in an interview with the news channel France 24 , describing the decision of Saudi Arabia as “wise.”
The aid reflects Riyadh's sincere emotions towards Lebanon and reaffirms the continuation of the bilateral ties between the two countries, the ambassador pointed out.
He denied that the grant “targets any particular side,” stressing that it is offered to the Lebanese army, which is formed of soldiers from different sects.
On Monday, Lebanon received the first shipment of $3 billion worth of French arms under a Saudi-financed deal to boost the country's defensive capabilities to combat terror threats, along its northeastern border in particular.
Lebanon's allies are seeking to bolster the country's defenses against the Islamic State group and other jihadists pressing along its Syrian border.
In August, the kingdom also offered another $1 billion in funds to allow the army to purchase supplies immediately.
Asked about the latest verbal spat with Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah over the Saudi-led coalition offensive in Yemen, Asiri expressed regret over “the tense speech delivered” by the party chief.
“The speech doesn't serve Lebanon's interests and its bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia,” the ambassador noted.
He lashed out at the Islamic Republic of Iran, considering it behind sectarianism in the region.
Tensions recently flared between the Mustaqbal Movement and Hizbullah over Saudi Arabia's military operation against Yemen.
The former has backed the campaign, while the latter has slammed it as blatant interference in the country's affairs.
A war of words soon ensued between the two sides, with movement chief MP Saad Hariri declaring Saudi Arabia's right to defend Arab interests against Iran, while Nasrallah vowed that the kingdom will suffer a defeat in its mission.
H.K.
M.T.
22 April 2015, 13:15
65
Yes, they are despite your claims to the contrary. The LAF is deployed and welcome in Tripoli, Arsal, and every other area that you are trying to paint as an outlaw region.
22 April 2015, 13:35
67
Say again? Is that why you Wahabis fund Al Nusra and ISIS to come and kill our civilians and soldiers in Lebanon?
Beheading LAF soldiers and using suicide bombs?
22 April 2015, 13:59
23
Didn't your master tell us that ISIS was a threat to Saudi? Oh wait, didn't your master tell us that ISIS was funded by Saudi? oh wait, was it Saudi who funded FSA who are fighting ISIS & Al Nusra, who the Saudi are fighting Iraq and funding at the same time! Man if you believe these conspiracy theories than i advice you to find consulting immediately.
22 April 2015, 14:01
63
one dot of lebanon's sand worth all the world ! we have the best climate, water n earthly fresh nutri.food..who sold our land n devastated our holly sand must be hanged especially the collaborators dirty lebanese ..who is not letting us to take out our gas from our shores to strengthen our immune system?! the land of saints n poets wasted to wahabis n faresis
22 April 2015, 22:19
13
Exactly right sophia, You love lebanon but you hate so many you confused the hell out of Everyone ;)
23 April 2015, 14:54
00
S.A, the very use of Aoun's picture as your avatar means one thing and one paradoxical thing only, that you cannot love Lebanon yet love a person like Aoun or even associate with him. I am not the one who is saying it, but rather the actions of a truly insane and deluded man whose every single footprint in the sand has burned the life of the very grass that once was there. This man's acidic and sulfuric effect on our beloved Lebanon means one thing and one thing only, the longer he stays around, the less clean air this country will breathe.
22 April 2015, 17:21
52
They should take it easy with their terbih jmileh over that donation, and not throw themselves too many flowers. Let's not forget when, how and why they took this decision. In the days that followed the arrest of majed al majed (their agent who ran the abdullah allam brigades), they invited suleiman over to saudi and he came back with that promise. A few days later majed al majed conveniently died before he could expose the saudi involvement in terrorism operations across the region.
It is my conviction that the 3bn$ were not a "gift", but a simple trade, whereby Lebanon gets weapons in exchange for not exposing saudi crimes and terrorist activities.
22 April 2015, 18:35
24
and you think anybody cares about the convictions of an iranian shia who is paid to post hatred, incitement, and propaganda:) Delusional troll. Everybody here knows you are not lebanese, so cut the BS.
22 April 2015, 18:51
23
More BS from another BS merchant. The Lebanese Army, in the absence of Lebanese political leadership, the Parliament being outside of its mandate, the Presidency vacant and the council of ministers having no mandate either, has been transformed into a proxy mercenary force paid for by the French, US and Saudis to contain the sectarian mess going on next door so that it will not come to the Mediterranean coast where it will threaten commerce and oil shipments.
22 April 2015, 22:07
13
And thanks for helping the Lebanese Army, my best wishes to you and all the countries that supported lebanese institutions a b d never militias no matter how Holly they claim to be.
