Prime Minister Najib Mikati met on Saturday with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the headquarters of the Doha Forum in the Qatari capital, during which bilateral Lebanese-Qatari relations were presented, in addition to the relationship between Lebanon and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
Mikati also met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, with talks centering on the general situation in Lebanon and the Lebanese-Qatari relations.
Following the two meetings, Mikati held a press conference in which he said: "Lebanon always needs such Arab patronage, and Qatar is on the side of Lebanon and, God willing, all the Arab countries and the Gulf States in particular will restore their normal relations with Lebanon, for we need this Arab embrace of our homeland."
The Prime Minister stressed that the correct path is that Lebanon maintains an excellent relationship with the Arab countries and the Gulf States at all times. “Lebanon should have a strong relationship especially with the Arab countries, for it is one of the founders of the League of Arab States and harbors belief and conviction in these relations,” he said.
Mikati described what happened in the recent past as a “passing summer cloud”, hoping that with his visits to the Arab countries and the restoration of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and the Gulf states, things will return to normal, underlining Lebanon’s need for such relations especially with the Saudi Kingdom.
On a different note and referring to the Lebanese government’s efforts to find a solution to the dire economic conditions, the Prime Minister said: “The current economic situation in Lebanon denotes a set of problems accumulated over the past thirty years, and this matter cannot be resolved overnight...The government is striving to restore the economy to its recovery path and, God willing, that will soon be detected…”
Asked about the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, Mikati said: "The negotiations between Lebanon and the Fund are continuing, and next Tuesday, a mission headed by the President of the Fund will begin a visit to Lebanon to complete the negotiations, and we hope that after the new round of deliberations, which will last for two weeks, a preliminary agreement will be signed between Lebanon and the Fund."
He added, "We have no choice but to cooperate with the International Monetary Fund to put Lebanon on the path of recovery."
On the sidelines of his participation in the Doha Forum, the Prime Minister also held talks with Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi over frameworks for strengthening cooperation relations between the two brotherly countries, regional developments and issues of common interest.
PM Mikati conferred as well with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, over bilateral relations between both countries.
Mikati also met with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi.
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