President Lahoud gets a message from Saudi king
Lebanon-Saudi Arabia, Politics, 3/31/2000

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud on Thursday received a message from Saudi King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz pertaining to joint cooperation between the two countries and means of strengthening them for the interests of the two countries and the Arab states.

In his message, conveyed by the Saudi ambassador to Lebanon, Fuad Sadeq al-Mufti, the Saudi king expressed happiness over the decision of the Lebanese president to accept the invitation to visit Riyadh, a visit which will avail the exchange of viewpoints on issues of mutual concern, especially amid the current conditions when the Arab states are facing crucial challenges.

Lebanese Minister of Defense Ghazi Zeiter stressed that Israel's withdrawal from the Lebanese territories is a Lebanese- Syrian demand built on the ground of UN resolution 425, which provides for Israel's complete and unconditional withdrawal to the internationally-recognized borders, adding that such a withdrawal is a victory for the Lebanese resistance.

In statements he made on Thursday, the Lebanese defense minister stressed that Lebanon will not sign any agreement with Israel apart from Syria and that Syrian will not sign any agreement without Lebanon.

The Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Muhammad Ali Subhani, stressed that the planned visit of Lebanese President Emile Lahoud to Iran is of great importance, especially under the difficult conditions in Lebanon and the region.

Subhani said on Thursday following his meeting with the secretary general of the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, Zuheir Hamdan, that there are special and excellent relations linking Iran and Lebanon. He voiced the solidarity of the government and people of Iran with Lebanon against the Israeli occupation.

Further news reports from south Lebanon said that Israel uses the taplines which used to transport crude oil from Saudi Arabia to al-Zahrani oil refinery in south Lebanon in taking Lebanese waters to the Galilee's colonies in northern Israel.

The reports added that Israel has converted the tapelines to pipes for pumping water from the Litani river to a very big reservoir installed in the Galilee hill where this water is used for irrigation purposes.

The news reports also spoke about Israel's stealing of water springs of the Syrian town of Banias in the occupied Golan Heights and also through the tapline to provide the Israeli colonies with drinking water.

More news from the south of Lebanon said that Israel continues to steal the fertile Lebanese soil from the surroundings of Kafer Kala and al-Adeseyah border towns and take the soil to the Galilee colonies for land reclamation projects there.

The reports said that for two months Israel has been taking soil from al-Arqoub area in trucks from an area planted with cedar trees between the villages of al-Habareyah, Kafer Hammam, Kafer Souba and Rasjhaya al-Fakhar in the occupied al-Arqoub to use the sand in installing its new military position along the borders with Lebanon.

Previous Stories:
  $130 million in Saudi loans for Lebanon   (3/10/2000)
  Lebanese gets Iranian message of backing   (3/7/2000)
  Saudi crown prince concludes visit to Lebanon   (3/4/2000)

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