The Grand Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdullatif Derian, contacted by phone the President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, and discussed with him the situation after the resignation of Premier Saad Hariri.

The Mufti praised "President Aoun for his great wisdom in dealing with matters and dragging the country out of the current crisis."

President Aoun, in turn, reassured the Mufti that "things are moving toward a happy conclusion."

The Grand Mufti told his visitors at Dar El-Fatwa that "the reasons for Prime Minister Saad Hariri's resignation ought to be addressed."

"All the Lebanese are awaiting the return of Prime Minister Hariri, to exercise his great national role in everything that serves the best interest of Lebanon first," he stressed, uttering confidence in "the wisdom of political and religious leaders and the awareness of citizens in general, who are an integrated unit, and whose affairs are governed by the Lebanese State, under the National Charter approved by the Taif Agreement, under the auspices of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its Arab brothers."

Derian expressed his hope that "the Arab brothers would always embrace Lebanon and its people for the common Arab interest," calling for "neutralizing Lebanon from all that is happening in the Arab region

Source: NNA