Report: Aoun Plans to Reactivate Saudi Arms Grant in Visit to Kingdom
The first visit that the newly elected President Michel Aoun will make is to Saudi Arabia where he plans to push for the reactivation of the Saudi grant to arm the Lebanese army after it was halted early this year, As Safir daily reported on Saturday.
Preparations for the visit are ongoing, and the exact date will be set after the formation of the cabinet and after the cabinet wins a vote of confidence, added the daily.
Sources close to the Foreign Minister told As Safir that Aoun does not want to restrict his visit to protocol measures, but wishes to give it a political character that includes a Saudi announcement of reactivating the 3 billion dollar grant for the armament of the Lebanese army with French weapons.
The issue has been raised between French and Lebanese authorities earlier and the efforts of both parties are expected to push in that direction.
An unnamed Lebanese official said that Aoun, being a Lebanese, Arab and Christian character, will try to build bridges between the Sunnis and Shiites and plans to visit Riyadh and Tehran in an attempt to display a new leading role for the Christians in the region.
In February 2016 Saudi Arabia halted a $3 billion program for military supplies to Lebanon in protest against Hizbullah's policies and diplomatic stances by the Lebanese foreign ministry.
The $3 billion program financed military equipment provided by France.
Lebanon received the first tranche of weapons designed to bolster its army against jihadist threats, including anti-tank guided missiles, in April 2015 but the program then reportedly ran into obstacles.
Alleged leaders of Hizbullah are under sanctions by Saudi Arabia.
Hizbullah is supported by Saudi Arabia's regional rival Iran, with whom relations have worsened this year.
Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran in January after demonstrators stormed its embassy and a consulate following the Saudi execution of a prominent Saudi Shiite cleric and activist.
Source: Naharnet
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