Lebanon Minister Resigns in Bid to Resolve Crisis With Gulf
(Bloomberg) -- Lebanon's Information Minister George Cordahi submitted his resignation Friday in a bid to resolve the country's rift with Gulf states, as Beirut attempts to escape a gathering economic storm.
Cordahi started the spat in late October by saying Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen was “pointless and should stop.” Saudi Arabia severed ties with Lebanon over the comments, withdrawing its ambassador and expelling the Lebanese envoy. The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain followed suit.
In comments to the MTV Lebanon television channel, the minister said he hoped his resignation would “open a door for a resolution between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.” Cordahi submitted his resignation to the government, LBCI Television reported.
Oil-rich Gulf nations were once Lebanon's main financial benefactors. Ties deteriorated after Michel Aoun, a close ally to the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, was elected president in 2016 and Tehran's influence in the country grew further.
Hezbollah is involved in the war in Yemen and has trained Houthi rebels fighting the Saudi-led coalition there. The group and its allies are represented in the Lebanese cabinet under Prime Minister Najib Mikati and have backed Cordahi.
The latest controversy added to political paralysis in a government that hasn't convened in more than two months since Hezbollah supporters and opponents clashed over the investigation into the 2020 Beirut port explosion.
The government has resumed talks with the International Monetary Fund over a bailout package that would also help Lebanon unlock much-needed donor funds.
Legacy of Political Turmoil Complicates Lebanon's Debt Crisis
The expected resignation comes ahead of a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron Saturday to Saudi Arabia, where he is expected to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
Macron has been at the forefront of an effort to shore up Lebanon – a former French colony – since the Beirut blast. He visited twice in the aftermath of the explosion and pushed allies to step-up aid, criticizing politicians who have repeatedly failed to carry out economic reforms.
©2021 Bloomberg L.P.
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