Kuwait Gives Lebanese Envoy 48 Hours to Leave Country, Recalls Its Ambassador for Consultations

On Friday, the Lebanese TV channel MTV reported, citing a source, that all countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) are prepared to severe diplomatic relations with Lebanon in the near future.

Kuwait has given Lebanon's charge d'affaires 48 hours to leave the country and recalled its ambassador from Beirut for consultations in protest over remarks made by a Lebanese minister regarding the Saudi-led coalition's military actions in Yemen.

The decision followed similar moves by Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, with an Arab diplomatic source telling Sputnik that Riyadh was considering breaking off diplomatic relations with Beirut.

Meanwhile, according to the Lebanese TV channel MTV, which quoted its own source, all countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) are ready to cut diplomatic relations with Lebanon in the near future, too.

The foreign ministries of the Gulf countries have all summoned the ambassadors of Lebanon and handed them notes of protest.

The diplomatic row has erupted following remarks by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi, who described the actions of the Saudi-led coalition of Arab states in Yemen as "aggression" in an interview to Al-Jazeera. Kordahi also said that the Houthi rebels were forced to defend themselves, and that the Yemen war was pointless.

Kordahi later stressed that the comments were made in an interview in August, before his appointment as Information Minister. He also said that he had no intention to offend Riyadh or Abu Dhabi, while Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati emphasised that Kordahi's words did not reflect the official position of Lebanon on Yemen.

Mikati has called on Kordahi to think about the national interests and resign, Lebanese broadcaster LBC reported.

Mikati, who is on a working trip outside the country, expressed regret over the current spat between Beirut and Riyadh and said he hoped that the differences will be resolved and Saudi Arabia will revisit its decision to recall the ambassador from Beirut. Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib will chair an emergency ministerial meeting on Saturday to find ways out of the conflict.