Hizbullah Snaps Back at Saudi FM, Accuses Riyadh of Bias

by **Admin** Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:22 am

Hizbullah has criticized Saudi Arabia, accusing it of siding with the Lebanese majority in its power struggle with anti-government parties after Riyadh blamed the opposition for hindering a solution to Lebanon's political crisis.

The Hizbullah statement on Tuesday came only days after Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal slammed Syria and the Hizbullah-led opposition for obstructing the Arab League initiative to help Lebanon elect a new president.

Hizbullah rejected Prince Saud's criticism and instead accused the majority March 14 alliance of obstructing parliamentary elections for a new head of state.

"This (Saudi) accusation against the opposition harms the kingdom's role and raises big question marks about
its position and role in the Lebanese political crisis," the statement said.

The Shiite group said the Saudi foreign minister's comments had put the kingdom in "a biased position incapable of playing a positive role in a solution" to Lebanon's deepening political crisis.

Gen. Michel Aoun, whose Free Patriotic Movement is part of the opposition, also rejected Prince Saud's comments and said he was surprised by "the Saudi position holding the opposition responsible for failure to implement the Arab initiative."

He urged "friendly countries not to be a party to the Lebanese conflict."

Prince Saud delivered his criticism Saturday in a press conference in Riyadh timed to coincide with the opening session of the Arab League summit in Syria.

In a separate statement, Hizbullah said the Arab Summit held in Damascus has "succeeded despite all pressures."

Such an alleged success was a "strong slap to whoever wanted its failure," the Shiite group said.