We're working under fire in Lebanon, says Saudi envoy

Riyadh: Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Abdul Aziz Khoja has said that the Saudi embassy in Beirut "is working under fire."

Upon his arrival in Riyadh from Beirut via Cyprus on Monday evening, the ambassador described the security situation in Beirut as grave.

"Our embassy is working under difficult security situations. However, the embassy staff members are striving hard to serve Saudi citizens on an around-the-clock basis," he told reporters.

Travel arrangements

According to Khoja, the embassy was successful in completing travel procedures to send home 60 of its citizens yesterday and is making arrangements for the travel of some 40 others as of today. Khoja and his family were among 200 people who managed to reach the nearby island of Cyprus by boat on their way home on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Council of Ministers warned the warring Lebanese groups that the escalation of violence would only benefit foreign extremists who want to thwart the efforts to solve Lebanon's political crisis. The Cabinet meeting, chaired by King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz at Al Yamama Palace on Monday afternoon, renewed Saudi Arabia's call to all Lebanese factions to give priority to their country's interests.

The meeting also expressed hope that the mission of the ministerial committee, set up by the extraordinary meeting of Arab foreign ministers held in Cairo on Sunday, would be successful in ending the in fighting and solving the political crisis in the war-ravaged country.

In another development, Saudi Arabia foiled attempts to smuggle in a huge quantity of arms and explosives across its borders.

There were also huge seizures of drugs, including 29,809 kilograms of hashish, the statement released by the Directorate Border Guards, added.