Lebanon's PM Hariri puts resignation on hold

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced on Wednesday he was putting his resignation on hold, more than two weeks after he shocked the country by saying he was stepping down.

Hariri said he had accepted President Michel Aoun's wish for him to suspend his resignation to allow for more consultations on the reasons for the move, CNN reported.

Hariri announced his resignation on November 4 while in Saudi Arabia, saying he feared his life was in danger. Aoun said at the time Hariri was being held against his will in Riyadh and speculation swirled in Lebanon that he was being held hostage.

Hariri finally returned to Lebanon on late Tuesday where his first stop was the grave of his father former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005.

Earlier on Wednesday, Hariri attended an Independence Day military parade in Beirut before meeting the President.

Hariri had denied speculation that Saudi Arabia forced him to resign and then detained him in an attempt to curb the influence of Iran and its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah, which is part of Lebanon's national unity government formed last year.

--IANS

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