Lebanon's
President Michel Aoun on Wednesday criticized Saudi Arabia on the
background of Prime Minister Saad Hariri's resignation, saying that
Riyadh has carried out an "act of aggression" against
Lebanon.
"We
consider Prime Minister Saad Hariri as being detained in Saudi Arabia
and this is an act of aggression against Lebanon," Aoun said
during a meeting with the National Audio&Visual Council.
Aoun
said that nothing justified Hariri's continued stay in Saudi Arabia,
now into day 12. "This contradicts the Vienna Treaty and
human rights," said Aoun, according to the president's
Twitter account. He stressed "we cannot keep waiting and lose
time, because state affairs cannot be put on hold."
Reiterating
his previous comments regarding Hariri's resignation, Aoun said that
it wasn't possible to complete the resignation formality as Hariri
had announced it from abroad. Aoun added "he needs to return
to Lebanon to submit his resignation or withdraw it, or discuss the
reasons for it and the solutions."
The
controversy was raised following Hariri's sudden resignation on Nov.
4 through a statement he read on al-Arabia TV from the Saudi capital
Riyadh. Later Wednesday, Hariri tweeted again saying that he was
"fine and will return to Lebanon soon, as promised."
Aoun
also hit out at Saudi Arabia, saying they were holding Hariri's
family. "We have not previously asked for their return, but
we have confirmed they are also detained and family members are being
searched as they enter and leave the house" Aoun said in a
statement reported by local media outlets.
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