The visit of Syrian President Bashar Assad to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for the opening of Saudi King Abdullah’s new state-of-the-art, mixed gender university is expected to have a positive influence on Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s effort to form a cabinet.
Both Syria and Saudi Arabia hold significant influence in Lebanon and their cooperation is seen as vital to the cabinet formation process. Saad Hariri, like his father Rafik before him, is very close with the regime in Riyadh, and Damascus maintains close ties with Hizballah and Amal.
According to Druze MP Walid Jumblatt, “There is no doubt that the meeting between King Abdullah and President Assad is a major political event that would restore contact between the two countries, although it has never been broken.”
The frosty relations between the two nations’ are considered by many to be the leading factor in the political gridlock that has gripped Lebanon for the last five years.
In 2005, Rafik Hariri, a man very close with the Saudi Arabia, as well as being a leading politician in Lebanon, was assassinated by car bomb in a plot widely credited to Syria. Syria has steadfastly denied any involvement, but its relationship with Saudi Arabia has suffered ever since.
In addition to Assad traveling to Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah is reportedly expected to visit Damascus in the coming days.
Saad Hariri has been trying to form a government ever since he was appointed prime minister in June, but as yet has been unsuccessful.
The political landscape in Lebanon is difficult to navigate for even the most seasoned politician, and Hariri is no exception. There are many complex relationships and alliances, both internally and externally, that must be considered in such negotiations. And even if Hizballah and Amal fall in line, that is no guarantee that the other obstacles, such a Free Patriotic Movement leader Michael Aoun will as well. However, closing the rift between Riyadh and Damascus could go a long way towards finally forming a cabinet to govern Lebanon.
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