Missing Lebanese Not a Critical Issue for Aoun’s Syrian Visit
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun said that discussions on the issue of the detained and missing Lebanese in Syrian prisons was not a precondition for his visit to Damascus, while affirming that this issue should be resolved.
In an interview with As-Sharq al-Awsat on Saturday, Aoun said that some of the missing persons had died in prison while others died in Lebanon and were not taken to Syria.
In a response to a question, Aoun said he received an invitation to visit Saudi Arabia in 2006 but postponed the visit due to the tensions that followed the assassination of Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel. He added that he informed the Saudi Arabian ambassador to Lebanon, Abdel Aziz Khoja, about his willingness to visit the kingdom however he did not receive a further invitation.
“I consider that Saudi Arabia changed its mind, and I have not asked for an invitation,” he said.
Aoun said that his visit to Iran earlier this month did not prevent him from visiting other Arab countries, including Egypt. He added that he was looking to forge friendships because he said the Lebanese situation could not improve while there was enmity with any country.
He added that the Iranians intended to honor him for his support of the Resistance during the 2006 July War and for his political agreements, referring to his party’s Memorandum of Understanding with Hezbollah.
He confirmed he did not make any deals during his visit to Tehran because his visit did not have official status and that the Iranian authorities have the same vision as the Free Patriotic Movement.