BEIRUT — Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari held extensive talks with Lebanese Druze politician and President of the Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblatt at the latter’s residence in Mukhtara town in Mount Lebanon. Speaking on the occasion, Bukhari underscored the historic ties between Saudi Arabia and Mukhtara, saying that Mukhtara, with its historical and Arab heritage, represents the unity and stability of Lebanon. “We stand in front of a joint historical responsibility to confirm that we are with the Arabism of Lebanon. We were and will remain Arab Christians and Muslims as long as the church of the Mukhtara remained and its mosque remained,” he said. Bukhari met with Jumblatt in the presence of his son and head of the Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc Taymour Jumblatt and two other MPs — Nehme Tohme and Wael Abu Faour. Their talks figured the general political situation especially the situation of forming a new government in the country. Bukhari emphasized Jumblatt’s role in this regard as part of a bid to enable the country to come out of the current political crisis. Bukhari thanked Jumblatt for welcoming the Saudi peace initiative for Yemen, which includes a ceasefire in Yemen, and its continuous condemnation of the terrorist Houthi militia attacks. “The Houthis should take similar steps towards the Saudi peace initiative and end the suffering of the Yemeni people,” Bukhari emphasized. After the meeting, the ambassador visited the Amir Shakib Arslan Mosque in Mukhtara, where he performed prayer, and visited the mausoleum of the founder of the Socialist Party and Walid’s father Kamal Jumblatt.