Lebanese PM regrets Saudi decision to expel envoy, ban imports

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has expressed his regret at Saudi Arabia's decision to expel the country's Ambassador and ban imports after a Minister in Beirut criticised the Riyadh-led coalition's war in Yemen.
Mikati reiterated his government's commitment to good relations with Saudi Arabia and called on Arab partners to put the diplomatic crisis behind them, reports Xinhua news agency.

Saudi Arabia on Friday decided to ban all imports from Lebanon and gave the Lebanese ambassador 48 hours to leave the Kingdom, after comments by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi that called the Yemeni Houthi militia's actions "self-defense" against the Saudi-led coalition.

Saudi Arabia halted in April the import of Lebanese vegetables and fruits after discovering narcotics inside such shipments from Lebanon.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Kordahi dismissed claims accusing him of hostility against Saudi Arabia and said "nobody should dictate to Lebanon what it needs to do in terms of keeping a minister in the government or not".

Lebanon's Hezbollah has refused to bow to Saudi Arabia's demand for Kordahi's resignation.- IANS