French President Makes Surprise Visit to Saudi Arabia<br />10, 2017<br />BEIRUT, Lebanon — President Emmanuel Macron of France has left Saudi Arabia after a brief, last-minute meeting with Crown Prince Mohammad<br />bin Salman, amid increasing international concern about escalating regional tensions over Saudi policies in Lebanon and Yemen.<br />s in the region" and called for "restoring the vital balance of Lebanon’s state institutions, essential to Lebanon’s stability." Mr. Hariri said in his resignation speech<br />that he was quitting because of what he said was Iran’s disproportionate influence in Lebanon through its ally, Hezbollah, which is part of the unity government he headed. that appealed for Lebanon to continue to be shielded from tension<br />President Michel Aoun of Lebanon told the Saudi chargé d’affaires in Beirut, Walid Bukhari,<br />that the manner of Mr. Hariri’s resignation was "unacceptable," and a consortium of countries and organizations interested in Lebanon’s stability said they had met on Friday with Mr. Aoun, who called for Mr. Hariri’s return.<br />Saad Hariri discussed that reiterated the importance France attaches t<br />Saudi Arabia, which is mired in a military conflict in Yemen, is unlikely to start another, while Israel, which has<br />talked about reducing the new influence of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the region, has said it does not want a war now.<br />welcome the call of the president for Prime Minister Hariri to return to Lebanon,"<br />the consortium, known as the International Support Group, said in a statement.
