Report: Putin Informs Hariri of Russia's Readiness to Assist Lebanon Militarily
Head of the Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri concluded on Friday a trip to Russia where he held talks with President Vladimir Putin before traveling to the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Monday.
Mustaqbal sources told the daily that the Russian leader informed the MP of his country's “readiness to support Lebanon on the military and security levels,” especially given the confrontation with terrorists.
Russia has experience in fighting terror in wake of its involvement in the conflict in Syria, elaborated Putin, and Lebanon is facing the same threat seeing as the terrorists in Syria are the same ones threatening Lebanon.
In addition, Putin and Hariri discussed the ongoing vacuum in the presidency, with the Russian leader inquiring about the delay.
The sources said that the “results of the talks between the two officials will not emerge in the upcoming hours or days” because of the fast development of events on the ground.
Hariri was accompanied on his trip by Interior Minister Nouhad Mashnouq, ex-MP Ghattas Khoury, Hariri's chief of staff Nader Hariri and his adviser for Russian affairs George Shaaban.
The former prime minister had met Wednesday in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Lebanon has been without a head of state since May 2014 when the term of President Michel Suleiman ended.
The presidential race is mainly confined to Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun and Marada leader MP Suleiman Franjieh. There is also centrist candidate MP Henri Helou.
However, not a single candidate is able to garner the needed votes to be elected president.
Sessions aimed at electing a head of state are being adjourned over lack of the required two-thirds quorum of the 128-member parliament.
M.T.
D.A.
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