Al-Faisal Plays Down Muallem”s Warnings Against Internationalizing Lebanon”s Crisis

Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal on Monday played down Syrian warnings against internationalizing the Lebanon crisis.

 

Prince Saud told reporters the international community was actively involved in trying to settle the Lebanon crisis.

 

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem had warned against internationalizing the ongoing crisis in Lebanon.

Al-Faisal also denied reports about an Iranian mediation to mend fences between Riyadh and Damascus.

 

Prince Saud said Riyadh supports “any settlement based on the interests of Lebanon away from any external intervention.”

 

He said Riyadh was considering a request by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to join the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative that aims at engaging willing Middle East states in border control, combating terrorism, Weapons of Mass Destruction and drug trafficking.