Lebanese prime minister's Arab tour details

Saudi, Bahraini, Egyptian, UAE, Qatari leaders discuss with Siniora latest developments in Lebanon

Lebanese PM: President election priority

$500,000 from Saudi Arabia to demine southern Lebanon

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora arrived in Cairo on a several days' visit to Egypt.

Siniora met with a number of top Egyptian officials on the Lebanese political crisis.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said he held talks with President Hosni Mubarak on the Lebanese developments.

The talks with Egyptian officials tackled a Lebanese request to hold a meeting of the Arab foreign ministers to discuss means to improve Lebanese-Syrian relations, he said.

Siniora said Lebanon had refused to attend the recent Arab summit in Damascus in protest at the summit and its chairman.

"We wanted to express our opinion that there is a crisis in Lebanon representing in the inability to elect a president of the republic because of pressures being put on Lebanon," he said.

Siniora reiterated support for the Arab initiative to solve the Lebanese crisis.

"We still believe that this initiative should be implemented," he said. The Arab initiative is based on a three-point plan calling for electing Army chief General Michel Suleiman as president, forming a national unity government in which no one party has veto power and adopting a new electoral law.

Visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said his current visit to Egypt was meant to consult with President Hosni Mubarak on the latest developments in Lebanon, especially after Lebanon's absence from the Arab summit which was held in Damascus.

Speaking to reporters following his meeting with the president, Siniora said it was only natural to come to Egypt and have talks with the president especially during this critical stage during which Lebanon was passing.

He also spoke about Egypt's supportive stance of Lebanon and all Arab issues out of its historical role in containing perils besetting the Arab nation.

Siniora said his two-hour talks with President Mubarak covered relations between Egypt and Lebanon and cooperation in the various fields.

Lebanon's absence from the Arab summit aimed at sending a loud message to the Arab world to try to end differences and resolve the Syrian-Lebanese relations issue, he said.

Lebanon's consultations aim at reaching an Arab foreign ministers meeting to tackle basic issues, especially Lebanese-Syrian relations which will certainly enable constitutional institutions in Lebanon to play their role, he added.

Siniora said his view of Lebanese-Syrian relations is that they share brotherly relations and that "no one can kidnap his brother and hope that he gets a ransom from another brother." Saudi Arabia supports the Arab initiative on Lebanon, he added.

Lebanon believes in the need to move forward with the election process, he said, adding that the intention of presidential candidate Michel Suleiman to retire is just his way of expressing his anger at the way Lebanon is being treated. He also aims at reaching an agreement on the Arab initiative, he added.

The initiative asserts the Arab world's wish to accelerate the election of a president in Lebanon, he said.

He expressed hope that a solution can be reached before Suleiman's retirement. However, even if he retires he is still a candidate approved by everyone.

The current crisis has affected economic conditions in Lebanon, he said, adding that the government seeks to contain the situation.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora praised the key role Egypt and President Hosni Mubarak play in support of his country.

During a meeting with the Lebanese community in Egypt, Siniora said his talks with Mubarak earlier today touched on the latest developments in Lebanon.

He said his visit to Egypt was the first stop in a multi-leg tour for talks with Arab leaders on means of breaking the Lebanese political deadlock.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese premier said his country is supporting Syria against any Israeli attack.

At a joint press conference with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, Siniora said "All Lebanese will be siding with Syria against Israeli aggressions".

Siniora said he notified the UNIFIL of the danger of recent Israeli war games.

Regarding the Syrian-Lebanese relations, Siniora said Lebanon was wronged by Syria for several decades.

Answering a question on Syria's call upon Saudi Arabia to take a step towards settling the Lebanese political crisis, Siniora said there should be a collective Arab action to settle the Lebanese crisis.

Siniora, at his joint press conference with Moussa, said Lebanon will maintain contacts for holding an Arab foreign ministerial meeting to probe the Lebanese political crisis and Lebanese-Syrian relations.

The Lebanese, he added, are keen on a collective Arab role for healing the rift in Lebanese-Syrian relations.

Answering questions by reporters, Siniora said Lebanon thoroughly considered the decision to boycott the Damascus-hosted Arab summit that was held late last month. Lebanon holds that the decision was right and was aimed at driving home a message to the whole world about the absence of a president of Lebanon.

Siniora, at his joint press conference with Moussa, said there is an agreement in principle on forming a national unity government in Lebanon.

But, he added, such an agreement to be carried out requires first electing a president of the country.

The core of the Arab initiative on solving the Lebanese presidential crisis is electing a president first and then reaching an agreement on a national unity government, he explained.

Answering a question on U.S. confirmations that Israel will not attack southern Lebanon, Siniora said Lebanon did not receive any confirmations on not attacking southern Lebanon.

For his part, Moussa said his talks with Siniora dealt with efforts made to settle the Lebanese political crisis.

Contacts are under way with Arab countries, including Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia and others, for putting some wind in the sail of Arab efforts to settle the Lebanese crisis.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit received Fouad Siniora.

The meeting, which was attended by acting Lebanese foreign minister Tareq Mitri, took up bilateral relations and efforts aiming at ending Lebanon's political crisis and activating the suspended constitutional institutions in Lebanon.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz received Lebanon's premier Fouad Siniora.

During the audience, they discussed the current situation in Lebanon. The audience was attended by Prince Saud Alfaisal, the Foreign Minister, Prince Miqrin bin Abdulaziz, Chief of General Intelligence and other officials.

The Lebanese prime minister and the accompanying delegation had arrived in Riyadh earlier.

At Riyadh Airbase, he was received by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs; and a number of officials.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud received at his palace the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov and accompanying delegation.

During the meeting, they reviewed the prospects of cooperation between the two friendly countries and means of supporting and strengthening them in various fields.

The meeting was attended by Saudi Minister of Transport, Dr. Jubarah bin Eid Al Suraisery and the Ambassador of Ukraine to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Leonid Hoeanov.

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan received Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora in al-Ain.

Sheikh Khalifa welcomed Siniora, who is currently on a visit to the UAE as part of an Arab tour, and wished him success on his visit, and relations between the two countries more progress and strength.

Sheikh Khalifa was briefed by Siniora on the political developments in Lebanon, and the UAE reaffirmed keenness to support efforts and initiatives that aim to achieve stability in Lebanon.

The President expressed hope that stability and security be restored in Lebanon and stressed the importance of enhancing the role of constitutional institutions. He called on Lebanese political rivals to place the nation's interests over other considerations and resort to reason.

The leaders reviewed bilateral ties and ways to enhance them, as well as issues of mutual concern, in the presence of General Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Interior Minister, and other Sheikhs and senior officials.

HH the Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani received Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

They discussed developments in Lebanon and efforts aimed at settling the political crisis in the country.

The audience was attended by HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Mahmoud, HE the Chief of the Emiri Diwan Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Saud al-Thani, HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the director of the office of the Emir, Foreign Ministry’s Arab Affairs Department director Ibrahim Abdulaziz al-Sahlawi, Lebanese Ambassador Hassan Youssuf Saad and the delegation accompanying the premier.

For his part, Bahraini King Hamad Bin Issa al-Khalifa received in the presence of Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander Sheikh Salman Bin Hamad al-Khalifa, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and his accompanying delegation.

The Lebanese prier briefed his majesty the king on the latest political developments in Lebanon.

His Majesty King Hamad stressed Bahrain's concern for Lebanon's unity, sovereignty and independence, underlining the significance of implementing the Arab peace initiative to solve the Lebanese crisis by surmounting differences on electing a new president

. His majesty expressed hope that the Arab efforts would help contain the crisis stressing that the state of division and presidential vacuum in the country does in no way serve the Lebanese people nor does it preserve Lebanon's security and stability.

Bilateral relations of cooperation and ways of bolstering them in various domains were also reviewed during the meeting which was attended by the deputy prime minister and the royal court minister.

Bahraini Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa received also Siniora and his accompanying delegation.

The meeting tackled the latest developments in Lebanon and means of boosting bilateral ties in various fields.

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad received Speaker of Lebanon's Chamber of Deputies Nabih Berri upon his arrival.

A presidential statement said the meeting was attended by Vice-President Farouq al-Sharaa, Foreign Minister Walid Muallem and Lebanese Lawmaker Ali Hassan Khalil.

The statement did not report anything on topics discussed.

Assad- Berri meeting comes as part of efforts Syria is exerting to solve the Lebanese crisis.

Syria said it is ready to offer all possible help to bring about stability and security in Lebanon.

Syria backs holding dialogue among Lebanese and believes that national reconciliation is the only solution to the current crisis, a Syrian presidential statement quoted President Bashar Assad as saying after a meeting with Lebanese Chamber of Deputies Speaker Nabih Berri.

Talks between Assad and Berri tackled the outcome of the 20th Arab summit that was held in Damascus late in March, the statement said.

Berri denied raising a proposal to form an interim Lebanese government during his talks in Syria.

He said he came to Damascus to underline the importance of Lebanese-Lebanese dialogue and to point out the importance of not ignoring Arab League initiative on Lebanon.

Syria has no conditions on achieving Lebanese-Lebanese reconciliation and is ready to give a hand to settle the crisis in Lebanon, Berri said after meeting Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Sharaa.

He termed as successful his visit to Syria.

An Egyptian-Saudi summit focused on the latest developments in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, an Egyptian presidential spokesman said.

The 270-minute meeting between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has tackled the situation in the Palestinian territories in light of the latest escalation in the Gaza Strip and the deadlocked Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, Presidential Spokesman Sulaiman Awwad said in statements.

The summit also dwelt on the latest Arab developments, Awwad said, adding that the talks showed that both countries see eye-to-eye on several Arab and regional issues.

Awwad said the summit also dwelt on the situation in Lebanon. The spokesman admitted that the Egyptian and Saudi relations with Syria are not at their best, saying that the three countries have always been the main pillars in any collective Arab work.

Mubarak and King Abdullah emphasized that ending the deadlock in Lebanon is the key to solving the Arab differences, he said.

Asked if Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa has conveyed a message from Damascus to the Egyptian-Saudi summit, Awwad said he has no idea about such a message.

Awwad continued to say that the Arab reconciliation needs actions and tangible moves rather than words and good intentions.

Speaking about recent reports about a new breach by Palestinian groups of Egypt-Gaza borders, Awwad said that Egypt has warned against such moves.

Egypt will not tolerate a repeat of such events, he stressed.

The spokesman noted that Egypt has allowed opening Rafah crossing out of humanitarian considerations, but it will not accept the contradictory statements by Hamas leaders who praise President Mubarak's efforts in support of the Palestinians and at the same time hint at a replay of January's border breach.

Under the directives of The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz, the Saudi Embassy in Beirut handed over a sum of $500,000 to UN Mine Action Coordination Center, Southern Lebanon (MACC SL).

The check for the amount was handed over to MACC SL's Chief Operation Officer Tekimiti Gilbert. Saudi Charge D'Affaires Fayez Talat Wafa said the support of demining project demonstrates the permanent positions of the Kingdom beside Lebanon and in support of the safety of its citizens and protection of its territory.

"This support continues at all levels in coordination with the Saudi Popular Campaign in assistance to Lebanon and the Lebanese people and the firm stand besides their side."

UN peacekeepers in Lebanon began erecting a barbed-wire fence along the border with Israel to prevent breaches of the "Blue Line" aimed at keeping peace between the two neighbours.

"UNIFIL soldiers began laying the barbed-wire fence in the area north of the (border) village of Ghajar," Yasmina Bouziane, spokeswoman for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, told AFP.

About 50 Spanish peacekeepers are installing the barbed wire fence north of the so-called "Blue Line", set up by the United Nations eight years ago to keep the peace between the two neighbours, an AFP correspondent said.

The plotting of the Blue Line in 2000 by the United Nations when Israel withdrew its forces from Lebanon, placed a third of the village of Ghajar in Lebanon and two thirds of it a zone annexed by Israel.

The decision to set up the barrier was made on April 2 at a meeting between UNIFIL commander General Claudio Graziano and officials from Lebanese and Israeli armies, Bouziane said.

The three parties agreed that UNIFIL would set up the barrier north of Ghajar "in order to prevent violations of the Blue Line," Garziano had said then.

"The prevention of drug trafficking in the area is also one of the goals of the barrier," Bouziane said.

There have been only few incidents along the border since the end of the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah militia. A Lebanese drug trafficker was killed and another wounded by Israeli soldiers in February.

UNIFIL, which was created in 1978 after an Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon, saw its mission extended by UN Security Council resolution 1701 which ended the 34-day conflict in August 2006.