Saudi Arabia welcomes 'positive points' from Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati

Kingdom's foreign ministry says it hopes to contribute to restoration of Lebanon's role in region

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Monday said all activities originating in Lebanon that affect the security and stability of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab countries must end. AP

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday praised the "positive points" made by Lebanon's prime minister, saying the remarks would further ease tensions between Beirut and Gulf countries.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Monday said all activities originating in Lebanon that affect the stability of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab countries must end.

He said the Lebanese government is committed to strengthening co-operation with Saudi Arabia, after a phone call with Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al Mohammad.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry said it welcomed Mr Mikati's statement. The ministry said it hoped to "contribute to the restoration of Lebanon's role" on both an Arab and international level.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries expelled Lebanese envoys last year in a diplomatic dispute that has deepened Lebanon's economic crisis, after critical comments about the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen by Lebanon's former information minister George Kordahi.

Riyadh said the crisis with Lebanon had its origins in a Lebanese political set-up that reinforces the dominance of the Iran-backed Hezbollah armed group and continues to allow endemic instability.

Saudi Arabia and its fellow wealthy neighbours have over the years spent billions of dollars in aid in Lebanon and still host a huge Lebanese diaspora. But the friendship has been strained for years by the growing influence of the powerful Hezbollah movement.

A financial meltdown has crashed the Lebanese currency over the past months and left most of the population facing poverty amid skyrocketing commodity prices in the international markets.