'Lebanon committed to not serve as drug trafficking platform': Salam to Saudi advisor

BEIRUT — Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam assured Saudi Foreign Minister's adviser Yazid bin Farhan on Monday, who arrived in Beirut at the head of a Saudi delegation, that Lebanon was committed to "not serving as a platform for drug trafficking."

This visit comes just days after Saudi Arabia announced an upcoming renewal of trade relations between Riyadh and Beirut, which has sparked great enthusiasm among Lebanese officials.

The delegation was hosted by Salam, with whom they discussed measures to resume Lebanese exports to Saudi Arabia, according to the Grand Serail. Salam stressed "the need for the relevant authorities to act swiftly to remove all obstacles hindering this sector, which is vital to the Lebanese economy."

He also "reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment not to serve as a platform for destabilizing the security of Arab countries or as a transit point for drug trafficking or any other prohibited goods."

Lebanon had expected the Saudi envoy earlier, but he had "delayed" his visit to Beirut, according to reports published by L'Orient-Le Jour on Nov. 1.

This was interpreted as Saudi dissatisfaction with the Lebanese government's "laxity" in taking concrete steps to implement the decision to establish a state monopoly on arms, according to an article in the Saudi daily Okaz.

Lebanon is struggling to implement the government decisions of Aug. 5 and 7 aimed at disarming militias, particularly Hezbollah, which continues to reject this option.

Meanwhile, the risk of Israeli military escalation looms over Lebanon, as Israel continues to bomb southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley in violation of the cease-fire agreed upon last November.