'Lebanon’s future will be bright, God willing': Bukhari

The Saudi ambassador to Lebanon, Waleed Bukhari, said Wednesday he was convinced that “Lebanon’s future will be bright, God willing,” after praising “the model of coexistence in all Lebanese regions” and emphasizing “the importance of preserving all of the country’s components.”

The diplomat was speaking on the sidelines of a tour in Akkar (north), where he visited the region’s mufti, Sheikh Zayd Bakkar Zakaria, at his residence in the village of Qornet Akkar, according to a statement relayed by the National News Agency (NNA). He then visited the Dar al-Fatwa office in Halba, where an expanded meeting was held in the presence of several religious, parliamentary, administrative and social figures.

“The kingdom’s message is clear: It is about preserving all the components of every country and respecting their specificities, which I have personally observed, whether during the presidential vacancy or regarding the Taif Agreement,” he said, in reference to the period between the end of Michel Aoun’s term on Oct. 31, 2022, and the start of Joseph Aoun’s term on Jan. 9, 2025, as well as the agreement that ended the 1975-1990 civil war.

“The kingdom is keen on all communities — Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian — without favoring one side over another,” said the mufti.

He also expressed hope that “agreements should soon be signed between the Lebanese and Saudi governments,” referring to the warming of diplomatic relations between the two countries since the start of Joseph Aoun’s term. Saudi Arabia, however, still has not authorized its citizens to travel to Lebanon, unlike other Gulf countries such as the United Arab Emirates.