Lebanon’s Hariri holds talks with Egypt President Sisi in Cairo

Lebanon’s Saad al-Hariri, who resigned as prime minister on Nov. 4, has met Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for talks in a brief Cairo stopover before a planned return to Lebanon, Egypt state media said on Tuesday.

Hariri had been in Paris since Saturday when he met French President Emmanuel Macron. He has said he will return to Lebanon by Wednesday for the country’s Independence Day celebrations, where he said he will clarify his position.

His surprise resignation announced from Riyadh triggered a political crisis in Lebanon’s power-sharing government.

Hariri said he quit over interference in Lebanon by Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah militia group.

Hariri arrived at Cairo International Airport, where he was received by Egypt’s health minister, the Lebanese ambassador to Cairo and Egypt’s ambassador to Beirut, his press office said.

He went immediately to the presidential palace, it said. A message on Hariri’s Twitter account said the meeting would be followed by a dinner in his honor.

"Saad Hariri arrived in Cairo on Tuesday evening from Paris to meet President Sisi, and he is scheduled to return to Lebanon on Wednesday," MENA state news agency said.

Egypt’s presidency said Aoun, a Hezbollah ally, also spoke with Sisi to discuss developments. Sisi and Aoun "underscored the importance of preserving Lebanon’s stability as well as upholding Lebanon’s national interest."

source: Alarabiya