Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Bukhari, reiterated on Monday the urgency of electing a president of the republic in order to narrow the divide between the Lebanese people and to set Lebanon on the path of recovery.
Bukhari made the comment following a visit to Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai at his summer residence in Diman, in north Lebanon.
The visit came hot on the heels of Rai’s sermon on Sunday during which he called on MPs to “set aside personal and sectarian interests” and participate in national dialogue “in case it takes place” on the condition that it is not used by the parties “to impose ideas and projects on each other,” and participants should “attend without preconceived judgments.”
A Saudi embassy statement indicated that the talks with Rai covered bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to develop them.
The Saudi envoy underlined the need to expedite the presidential election “for the rescue of Lebanon and the unity of all Lebanese citizens, while strengthening Lebanon’s relations with its Arab neighbors.”
Saudi Arabia is among the five-member group, including France, the US, Qatar and Egypt, that convened in Doha last month to discuss ways to help Lebanon end the presidential stalemate. A communique issued following the meeting made no mention of a dialogue as a way to end the crisis.
