Former Lebanese Prime Ministers Seek Information Minister's Dismissal Amid Diplomatic Row

BEIRUT (Sputnik) - Former Lebanese prime ministers addressed Information Minister George Kordahi on Saturday with a joint request to step down amid the escalating diplomatic conflict with Arabic countries triggered by his remarks.

"Former prime ministers Fuad Siniora, Saad Hariri, and Tammam Salam condemned the positions going beyond the limits of political and diplomatic norms, which were spoken out by Information Minister George Kordahi... Primarily, the mentioned minister is required at least to realize what his stance has led to and how it has damaged the national interests of Lebanon, in connection with which he must hand in his resignation as soon as possible," the joint statement read.

Siniora, Hariri, and Salam noted that further presence of Kordahi in the cabinet of ministers poses a threat to relations between Lebanon and Arabic nations and to the interests of Lebanon and the Lebanese people.

On Friday night, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that Kordahi must "make a necessary decision" regarding the conflict with Saudi Arabia, which had expelled the Lebanese ambassador from the country and recalled the Saudi ambassador to Lebanon for consultations. Bahrain and Kuwait followed Saudi Arabia by ordering Lebanese envoys to leave.

Earlier in the week, Lebanese media published extracts from Kordahi's interview to Al-Jazeera, where the minister called the actions of the Arab coalition in Yemen "aggression" and said that the Houthi rebels were forced to defend themselves. Kordahi later noted that these words were said in August, before he was appointed minister. The official also said that he did not want to offend Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Mikati said that Kordahi's words did not reflect the official position of Lebanon on the Yemeni issue.