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M. Continuo

Saudi advises nationals to leave Lebanon


    By Nadim Ladki

    BEIRUT (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has advised its citizens inLebanon, especially families living there, to leave immediatelydue to the security situation, a Lebanese government sourcesaid on Saturday.

    The source said the Lebanese government had confirmed thenews with the Saudi embassy after several Saudi nationals saidthey received a text message with the advice.

    Many countries already advise their nationals againstnon-essential travel to Lebanon, but it was unclear why SaudiArabia had upgraded its own travel warning into one urging itscitizens to leave immediately.

    Saudi diplomats were not available for comment.

    Tensions have increased after the United States said onThursday it had deployed the USS Cole off the Lebanese coastbecause it was concerned about the political deadlock inLebanon.

    They have also been fuelled by the assassination inDamascus last month of a commander of the Lebanese Hezbollahgroup. Hezbollah said Israel was behind the killing of ImadMoughniyah. Israel has rejected the charge.

    Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia is a major supporter of theSunni-led government in Lebanon which has been locked in a15-month-old political standoff with an opposition led byIranian-and-Syrian backed Hezbollah.

    The crisis has left Lebanon without a president sinceNovember and the deadlock has threatened to disintegrate intosectarian violence and continues to mar inter-Arab relations inthe run-up to an Arab league summit in Syria on March 29-30.

    "DIPLOMACY OF WARSHIPS"

    Arab League chief Amr Moussa has been spearheading an Arabinitiative to bring about reconciliation among Lebanon's rivalleaders, but has failed.

    Lebanon's presidential election was postponed again thisweek to March 11 from February 26, the 15th delay, after therival leaders failed to make a deal.

    Syria has accused the United States of prolonging theLebanese crisis by deploying the USS Cole and said Washingtoncould not impose a solution by "flexing its muscles".

    Hezbollah said the United States was endangering regionalstability with the deployment and vowed to defy what it calledan act of military intimidation.

    "The slogans of democracy and freedom that Washington callsfor seem fake and deceitful because they contradict with thediplomacy of warships and cannon muzzles," the group said in astatement on Saturday.

    Last month Saudi Arabia issued an advisory urging itscitizens not to travel to Lebanon because of deterioratingpolitical and security conditions. Kuwait and Bahrain followedwith similar calls.

    Several Kuwaiti nationals said they also received messagestelling them to leave immediately but both the Kuwaiti embassyand the Lebanese source denied any new warning had been issued.

    Lebanon is one of the most popular destinations in theMiddle East for Arabs seeking its relaxed atmosphere comparedto more conservative Arab countries, and Gulf nationals play amajor role in the Lebanese economy.

    (Reporting by Nadim Ladki and Yara Bayoumy; Writing by YaraBayoumy; editing by Myra MacDonald)