Region | Lebanon
Saudi Arabia calls for Arab meeting on Lebanon crisis
Saudi Arabia, a key backer of the Lebanese government, called on Friday for an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers to discuss the crisis in Lebanon.
- Reuters
- Published: 13:34 May 9, 2008
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Riyadh: Saudi Arabia, a key backer of the Lebanese government, called on Friday for an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers to discuss the crisis in Lebanon.
A Foreign Ministry official said Saudi Arabia "called on all political factions to listen to the voice of wisdom and to place the country's interests above all other considerations", Saudi state television said.
"Lebanon's plunge into blind turmoil would only be a victory for foreign extremist forces," the unnamed official said.
Saudi Arabia is a main backer of the Sunni-led government in Lebanon, which is locked in a political battle and street fighting with an opposition movement led by Hezbollah, which is supported by Iran and Syria.
Hezbollah gunmen took control of large areas of Beirut on Friday in a third day of fighting between the pro-Iranian group and fighters loyal to the US-backed governing coalition.
Lebanon has been without a president since November because of a political stalemate, which has led to street clashes between Shi'ites and Sunnis.
Saudi Arabia has backed Lebanon's economy with injections of cash, and blamed Hezbollah for Israel's 2006 land and air assault on the Arab country, saying it had provoked the Jewish state.
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