Lebanese President Michel Aoun urged Saudi Arabia on Monday to resume direct talks with Beirut to defuse tensions after a Lebanese minister’s pro-Houthi remarks triggered a diplomatic crisis with the Gulf.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain all recalled their representatives to Lebanon, and Riyadh banned all imports from the country in the most serious split in years between the country’s Iran-aligned government and its historic allies in the Gulf.
Mr Aoun expressed “keenness to establish the best relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states and the need to address any problems that arise through direct dialogue", in a statement released by the Presidency on Monday.
Relations between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia have soured in the past decade as the Iran-backed Hezbollah group has expanded its influence on Beirut.
Information Minister George Kordahi has so far refused to apologise or resign over his remarks, which Saudi Arabia and Gulf nations deem insulting. Hezbollah and the Houthis expressed support for Mr Kordahi.
He said last week that the Iran-backed Houthi militia was acting in self-defence against foreign attackers.
The Houthis swept into Yemen's capital Aden in 2014, forcing the internationally recognised government to flee.
Riyadh has led an Arab coalition to support the Yemeni government against the Houthi rebels since 2015.
Lebanon's Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib echoed Mr Aoun’s calls for direct talks.
“Lebanon invites Saudi Arabia to engage in dialogue to solve all outstanding problems and not just the latest spat, so that the same crisis is not repeated every time,” Mr Bou Habib told AFP.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, said on Sunday that the kingdom was no longer interested in dealing with Beirut because of Hezbollah’s dominance in the country and the political class’s inability to introduce reforms.
The Lebanese government said Mr Kordahi’s remarks did not represent its views but stopped short of asking him to resign.
Prime minister Najib Mikati met at least two Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the Cop26 climate change conference in the UK on Monday.
He spoke to his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah, saying afterwards that Sheikh Sabah told him Lebanon “will find all the required support from Kuwait and other Arab countries".
Mr Mikati also met Sheikh Tamim, Emir of Qatar, who said Doha would send its foreign minister to Beirut soon "to discuss ways to support Lebanon and to complete the research on the proposed files, especially dealing with the Lebanese-Gulf crisis".
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh282,870
On sale: now
Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
Test series fixtures
(All matches start at 2pm UAE)
1st Test Lord's, London from Thursday to Monday
2nd Test Nottingham from July 14-18
3rd Test The Oval, London from July 27-31
4th Test Manchester from August 4-8
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Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go
The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.
The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).
When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.
SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
