Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is set to visit Saudi Arabia on Monday for his first trip abroad since his election in January, the presidency told AFP.
The election of Aoun, a former army commander supported by Riyadh and Washington, on Jan. 9 ended more than two years of presidential vacancy amidst deep economic and political crisis.
Aoun "will travel today" to Saudi Arabia, the presidential spokeswoman told AFP.
Relations between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia have particularly strained since 2016, when Saudi Arabia halted its $3 billion aid to the Lebanese Army, saying it was protesting against positions it claimed were inspired by Hezbollah.
"During my visit, I will request, if possible, the reactivation of military aid," the president said in an interview with the Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday.
The president, aiming to tighten ties with Riyadh, said he chose Saudi Arabia as his "first destination" due to "its historical ties" with Lebanon and because it has become a "regional and global platform."
"I hope and expect from Saudi Arabia (...) that we can rectify relations in the interest of both countries and overcome all the obstacles of the recent past," he stated.
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