France, Saudi Arabia Announce Plans to Solve Crisis With Lebanon

France and Saudi Arabia announced that they have a plan to solve the diplomatic crisis between Lebanon and several Gulf countries. French President Emmanuel Macron, during a visit Saturday to Saudi Arabia, held a joint phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati. Macron has been leading international efforts to resolve the political and economic crisis in Lebanon. France and Saudi Arabia pledged to do more to help the Lebanese people and work together to alleviate Lebanon’s political crisis by pushing the new Lebanese government to get up and running. Riyadh also committed to re-engage with Lebanon financially, Macron said. The meeting came a day after Lebanon’s information minister, George Kordahi, announced his intention to resign, weeks after he criticized Saudi Arabia for its war on the Houthis in Yemen, sparking an unprecedented diplomatic crisis between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies. Riyadh expelled Lebanon’s diplomatic envoy to the kingdom, recalled its ambassador to Beirut and banned Lebanese imports in October after Kordahi’s gaffe.