Report: UAE dissatisfied with Saudi policy in Lebanon

The UAE has been exerting pressure on Saudi Arabia to change its policy in Lebanon and support Sunni leader Ashraf Rifi in the election, Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper reported.

The newspaper said it has obtained leaked cables of Arab ambassadors in Lebanon including one sent by the Jordanian embassy on 28 September.

According to the paper, the cable contained briefings sent by the Jordanian Ambassador Nabil Masarwa about his meeting with his UAE counterpart, Hamad Saeed Al-Shamsi.

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“Saudi Arabia is failing at home and abroad, especially in Lebanon. Despite not being satisfied with Hariri, he is indispensable. Sheikh Mohammed is dissatisfied with Saad Hariri for special reasons. Sheikh Mohammed supported Hariri when Saudi Arabia stopped supporting him, but Hariri turned his back on the UAE after that. The UAE ambassador tried to arrange a visit for Hariri, but his request was rejected. The ambassador did not deny that Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed provided advice for Saudi Arabia, but they in the UAE are not satisfied with the way Saudi Arabia works.”

According to the ambassador, “the file of Lebanon is not in the hands of Saudi Foreign Minister, Adel Al-Jubeir, but in the hands of Saudi minister of state for Arab Gulf Affairs Thamer Al Sabhan.”

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