Saudi Arabia announces return of its envoy to Lebanon
Riyadh says its envoy returned 'to the sisterly Republic of Lebanon'
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry announced the return of its envoy to Lebanon on Thursday, officially ending a diplomatic crisis sparked by a Beirut minister's comments on the Yemen war.
The Gulf state said that its ambassador returned “to the sisterly Republic of Lebanon” on the Kingdom’s official Twitter account.
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Back in November, Lebanon’s then-information minister George Kordahi referred to the Yemen war as “futile” during an interview, drawing Riyadh’s ire and setting off a diplomatic crisis.
Saudi Arabia leads a military coalition in Yemen fighting the country’s Houthi rebels, and Kordahi’s remarks prompted Riyadh and a number of other Gulf states to recall their envoys to Beirut.
But the two countries have since worked to thaw their bilateral ties.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati released a statement last month pledging to mend damaged relations with Riyadh and other powers in the Gulf region.
“I renew the commitment of the Lebanese government to take the necessary and required measures to enhance cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council,” the premier said, according to The Jerusalem Post.
He also said Beirut would work to “prevent the use of Lebanese financial and banking channels to conduct any financial transactions that might harm the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the countries of the GCC.”
Riyadh responded positively to the announcement.