Lebanon's information minister resigned on Friday saying he was putting the nation before his personal interest as he sought to end a diplomatic spat with Saudi Arabia sparked by his comments. This comes ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Riyadh the same day, as Macron said he hoped his talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) would help resolve the row.
George Kordahi said he had quit before the French president visited Riyadh in the hope that Emmanuel Macron would help ease the crisis sparked by the Lebanese TV host-turned-politician's critical remarks about Saudi Arabia's role in the Yemen war.
Macron confirmed that this was his objective ahead of talks with MBS: "We will see at the end of this trip - and I remain cautious - but my wish is both economically and politically, to be able to re-engage all the Gulf countries in the relationship with Lebanon, to help them get out of this," he said in Dubai.
"I hope the coming hours will allow us to make progress," Macron continued, adding that he hoped this would allow Prime Minister Najib Mikati to convene his government and press ahead with stalled economic reform efforts.
Saudi Arabia expelled Lebanon's envoy to the kingdom, recalled its ambassador to Beirut and banned Lebanese imports after Kordahi's comments which Riyadh said were a symptom of the wider issue of Iran-backed Hezbollah's grip on Lebanon.
Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran have long battled for influence in the region, including in Lebanon, which is struggling with a deep economic crisis and desperately needs financial support from regional and international donors.
Other Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait, followed Saudi Arabia's lead with similar measures against Lebanon.
Kordahi, a Christian whose Marada party is backed by Hezbollah, had refused to resign in the weeks afterwards even as Prime Minister Najib Mikati asked him to put "national interest" first.
His resignation also aimed to prevent any punitive action against the hundreds of thousands of Lebanese living in Gulf Arab states, he said.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
