Beirut: Lebanon’s president ended a visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday where he discussed regional affairs with the kingdom’s crown prince after which both countries said Israeli troops should withdraw from south Lebanon and only the Lebanese state should have weapons. The visit by Joseph Aoun, the first by a Lebanese head of state to the oil-rich kingdom in eight years, improves ties between the two countries.
Aoun visited Saudi Arabia several times when he was army commander, and many in Lebanon hope that his visit as president will open the way for lifting a ban on imports from Lebanon.