Lebanon PM ‘on his way home’ after strange resignation announcement

PARIS: Lebanon’s prime minister, Saad Hariri, said he would return home in “the coming days” to declare a political stance for the first time since making a strange resignation announcement from Saudi Arabia that unleashed fears of a crisis in Lebanon.

On Saturday, Hariri and his family met French President Emmanuel Macron, who invited the Lebanese leader to Paris to dispel fears that he was being held in Saudi Arabia against his will. Macron is seeking to calm tensions and avert a proxy conflict between Saudi-backed and Iranian-backed camps in Lebanon.

Hariri’s appearance in Paris – looking relaxed with his wife and older son on the steps of the Elysee Palace with the French presidential couple – contrasted with his limited-access, carefully choreographed appearances from Saudi Arabia.

Hariri told Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Saturday that he would take part in Independence Day celebrations in Beirut on Wednesday.

After his meeting with Macron, Hariri said: “God willing, I will attend Independence Day in Lebanon and will declare my political stance from Lebanon and after meeting President Michel Aoun.

“I have resigned and we will talk about this matter in Lebanon,” Hariri said, after thanking Macron, who “expressed pure friendship toward me that I will never forget”.

The Independence Day ceremony is usually headed by the president, prime minister and parliament speaker, and Hariri’s presence could help calm uncertainties that have escalated since his strange and surprising resignation announcement on November 4 from Saudi Arabia.

However, Hariri’s political status is murky. Lebanon’s president refused to accept Hariri’s resignation, accusing the Saudis of holding him against his will.

A high official in Macron’s office said Hariri’s place is first in Beirut, “the only place where he can hand his resignation to the Lebanese head of state”.