Hariri to leave Saudi Arabia for France on Friday: MP

Lebanon’s prime minister Saad Hariri. (Reuters/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo)

BEIRUT: Saad Hariri, who resigned as Lebanese prime minister on Nov. 4 in a statement broadcast from Saudi Arabia, will travel to France on Friday, a member of parliament for Hariri’s Future Movement told Reuters.
“Today to Paris, this afternoon, and tomorrow a family meeting with (French President Emmanuel) Macron,” said Future Movement MP Okab Saqr.
Meanwhile Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said in Moscow that he hopes Saad Hariri, who resigned as prime minister on Nov. 4, would return to Beirut after he completes his visit to France, Russia’s RIA news agency reported.
He said that the main aim now is that Hariri can return to Lebanon without any conditions or restrictions on his freedom and, once back in Lebanon, that he can decide whether to step down as the prime minister, the news agency reported.
He said, according to the agency, that Hariri should still be considered as Lebanon’s serving prime minister. Hariri’s visit to France was aimed solely at securing his return to Lebanon, the agency reported.
Bassil said earlier on Friday that some forces are trying to oust the Lebanese leader.
(With Reuters and AFP)