Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan received by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Baabda, Jan. 23, 2025. (Credit: Presidency Facebook account)
A single word uttered by President Joseph Aoun during his first meeting with the Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal Bin Farhan at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, revealed the depth of his relations with Saudi Arabia.“Finally!” said the president seconds after the meeting began on Jan. 23. Bin Farhan replied with a smile: “Finally!”The message could not have been clearer: what should have happened some time ago has finally materialized, namely Lebanon’s return to the Arab fold and the election of Joseph Aoun as president, an objective that Saudi Arabia had pursued for years. This effort dates back to Aoun's first visit to Riyadh as army chief in June 2019. At the time, this visit reflected the desire to establish a relationship of trust between the two sides, and Aoun was welcomed with the honors befitting a head of state in terms of...
A single word uttered by President Joseph Aoun during his first meeting with the Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal Bin Farhan at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, revealed the depth of his relations with Saudi Arabia.“Finally!” said the president seconds after the meeting began on Jan. 23. Bin Farhan replied with a smile: “Finally!”The message could not have been clearer: what should have happened some time ago has finally materialized, namely Lebanon’s return to the Arab fold and the election of Joseph Aoun as president, an objective that Saudi Arabia had pursued for years. This effort dates back to Aoun's first visit to Riyadh as army chief in June 2019. At the time, this visit reflected the desire to establish a relationship of trust between the two sides, and Aoun was welcomed with the honors befitting a head of state in...