Lebanon's Hariri says to withdraw resignation if consultations positive

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Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Wednesday that he will announce the withdrawal of his resignation "if the ongoing consultations remain positive."

A statement from his press office said Wednesday Hariri was "positive" and if that continued, he would withdraw his resignation next week.

"As you are hearing, things are positive, and God willing we will announce good news to the Lebanese next week should the positivity continue," Hariri told reporters in a brief chat after he attended a ceremony celebrating the Prophet's birthday at the Mohammed al-Amin Mosque in downtown Beirut.

File photo: Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri. /AFP Photo

Asked whether he will reverse his resignation permanently next week, Hariri said, "If things are positive, God willing I will."

As for the possibility of holding a cabinet session next week, Hariri said, "Let us see how things go and if they take a positive course."

A source close to Hariri later said Hariri flew to Paris Wednesday night for a family visit and will spend a few days there.

Hariri announced he was resigning on November 4, but walked it back after returning home last week to attend Independence Day celebrations. He reiterated that he would resign if Hezbollah refuses to accept a new power-sharing arrangement for Lebanon.

Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri returned to Beirut, Lebanon on November 21. /AFP Photo

The resignation made in a televised statement he read from the Saudi capital Riyadh, was widely seen as orchestrated by Saudi Arabia to pressure Lebanon's politicians into taking stronger measures to contain Hezbollah's influence.

Hariri has demanded that the Shiite resistance party remove itself from regional conflicts, from Syria to Iraq and Bahrain and Yemen.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah denied any involvement in Yemen and said his party would withdraw his troops from Iraq following the defeat of Islamic State.

However, in Syria, the party is still involved in fighting next to the regime forces.

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Source(s): AFP ,Reuters ,Xinhua News Agency