Spokesman for the Presidency, Counselor Ahmed Fahmy, said that during the meeting the two sides underscored the robust, profound and firm historical relations between the two countries as well as the ongoing coordination between them.

President El-Sisi reviewed Egypt’s efforts to push toward achieving a ceasefire and allowing the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The two sides underlined the critical need for the international community to assume its responsibilities in this regard, by working intensively on containing the situation and averting the expansion of the scope of violence.

They stressed the necessity to relaunch the peace track and apply the principle of the two-state solution, in a way that achieves justice, security and stability for the peoples of the region.

President El-Sisi emphasized Egypt’s steadfast position in support of the institutions of the Lebanese State, in a manner that preserves the stability of Lebanon and the security of its people.

Foe his part, Lebanon’s Prime Minister valued this position and confirmed the importance of the Egyptian role in solidifying stability in Lebanon, which reflects the special characteristics of the two countries’ relations.

The meeting discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries in an array of fields.

Prime Minister Mikati expressed appreciation for Egypt’s responsible role in this grave crisis at both the political and humanitarian tracks.

The meeting was also attended by the Director of the General Intelligence Service, Major General Abbas Kamel, and Lebanon’s Ambassador in Cairo.

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Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said the move was made in response to appeals from Lebanese politicians and after Prime Minister Najib Mikati said his government was committed to taking the needed measures to enhance ties with Riyadh and the Gulf.

These measures include stopping political, military and security actions impacting Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said.

“The Kingdom stresses the importance of the return of Lebanon to its Arab depth, represented by its national institutions and apparatuses, for Lebanon to prevail in peace and security, and for its people to enjoy stability and security in their homeland,” the statement read.

After the Saudi announcement, Mikati said Lebanon appreciated the decision. “We affirm that Lebanon is proud of its Arab belonging and wants the best ties with Gulf countries that always was and will remain supportive,” he said in a tweet.

Mikati’s office later announced that Kuwait had informed Beirut they would return their envoy before the end of the week. The Lebanese premier thanked Kuwait’s foreign minister for his work to restore Lebanese-Gulf relations.

Strained ties with Gulf

Ties between Beirut and its once close backers in the Gulf soured since the outbreak of the Syrian war and Hezbollah’s increased grip on the country and its institutions.

The Iran-backed group openly admitted to sending fighters to Syria to prop up the Assad regime and they have been accused of advising militias in Iraq and Yemen.

Saudi Arabia pulled their ambassador from Beirut, and several other Gulf nations followed suit last year after Lebanon’s information minister George Kordahi voiced support for the Houthis and criticized Saudi Arabia.

After Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah’s comments after Gulf countries pulled their diplomats last year, Mikati released a rare statement criticizing Hezbollah.

“For God’s sake, have mercy on Lebanon and the Lebanese people and stop [fueling] political and sectarian hatred,” Najib Mikati said in a series of tweets, adding that Nasrallah’s stance was not that of the Lebanese government.

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A majority of lawmakers had to decide on whom to name as premier before Aoun tasked the candidate with forming a government.

According to a Reuters tally of votes cast by lawmakers in official consultations, Adib secured the support of a majority of lawmakers to be designated as the new prime minister.

Adib secured at least 66 votes or more than half of the 120 MPs currently serving in the Lebanese parliament after the Christian Free Patriotic Movement announced it had nominated him, Press TV reported.

Lebanon’s parliament usually has 128 MPs but eight resigned following the Aug. 4 port explosion.

A relatively unknown 48-year-old diplomat, Adib, a close aide to former premier Najib Mikati, is about to form a government after he secured backing from the country’s politicians.

On Sunday, the Sunni Muslim political figures in Lebanon, including the Future Movement party headed by former premier Sa’ad Hariri, picked Adib to succeed Hassan Diab, who resigned as prime minister following Beirut’s blast.

Under a power-sharing agreement that ended the 1975-1990 civil war in Lebanon, the prime minister must be a Sunni Muslim, the president a Maronite Christian, and the parliament speaker a Shiite Muslim.

Hariri announced on Monday that he had nominated Adib to the position in formal consultation with Aoun.

Speaking after a meeting with the president, Hariri said the new government should be formed quickly and made up of specialist ministers.

Hezbollah members of Lebanon’s parliament also nominated Adib as the next premier.

Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc “informed President Aoun of its agreement to the nomination of Mustapha Adib and we expressed our readiness for positive cooperation,” the head of its parliamentary bloc, Mohamed Ra’ad, said after a meeting with the president on Monday.

Diab’s government resigned after the devastating explosion at a port in Beirut that killed at least 188 people and wounded thousands.

The blast came amid public anger over the ruling elite’s mismanagement of an economic crisis. The Lebanese pound has continued to plummet against the US dollar, losing more than 60 percent of its value over the last weeks while sources of foreign currency have dried up.

Observers say American sanctions on Lebanon have deteriorated its already struggling economy.

The consultations come as French President Emmanuel Macron is due to return to Lebanon, after his previous visit to the country that followed the blast and sparked outrage among the Lebanese.

Macron, whose country witnessed months-long and nationwide anti-government protests by Yellow Vests over economic injustice in 2018 and 2019, used a provocative colonial tone in his visit, calling for political and economic reforms in Lebanon.

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