The Lebanese government rejects any activities hostile to Gulf countries, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who is visiting Abu Dhabi, said in an interview published Monday. "As head of the government, I refuse any form of Lebanese involvement in the conflicts around us. Moreover, I stress that the Lebanese cabinet refuses to intervene or participate in activities of any organization that is hostile to the Arabian Gulf countries," Hariri told the Emirates News Agency (WAM). He was responding to a question about Hezbollah’s activities in the region. He reiterated that the Lebanese government has adopted a policy of disassociation from external conflicts and has rejected to meddle in the internal affairs of Arab countries. “However, this decision is regrettably violated, not by the government but by a political side represented in the government," said the prime minister, who arrived in Abu Dhabi on Sunday on a two-day official visit. Hariri affirmed that "Hezbollah should be accused in its capacity as a component of a regional system and not as a party" in his government. "Lebanon is an integral part of the Arab world, and its stability is governed by the overall stability and security of the Arab world, especially in political and economic spheres," he stressed. Hariri is leading a delegation, including six ministers and other top officials, to attend the second UAE-Lebanon Investment Forum that kicked off in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Held under the auspices of the UAE Ministry of Economy and Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the forum will have several sessions and workshops that bring UAE investors together with their Lebanese counterparts. "There will be discussions with high-ranking officials about the situation in the region," Hariri told WAM. The prime minister expressed hope that the forum would help attract UAE investments to Lebanon, especially in food, infrastructure, oil and gas, and renewable energy. "We are going to discuss with the officials how Lebanon can help meet the objectives of food security strategy in the UAE," the prime minister revealed. Asked about the September 14 attack on two oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, he said: "It was a reckless step that put the Arabian Gulf and regional peace on the brink of a flare-up and increased tension in the region.” He also praised “the wisdom” of the Saudi leadership, “which has managed to shed light on the premeditated goals of aggression, and has not been dragged into the provocative attempts made by the other side."
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