...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
has reportedly rejected the nomination of Free Patriotic Movement
Despite its name a Christian party allied with Hizbullah, neither free nor particularly patriotic...
leader
Michel Aoun...a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hizbullah...
for the presidency, expressing fear over his "hidden intentions."
Informed Lebanese sources told As Safir newspaper published on Tuesday that Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal informed local and foreign officials that he refuses to adopt the candidacy of Aoun.
"We cannot forget his history... A consensual character cannot be made in one day," sources quoted al-Faisal as saying.
He voiced concern over Aoun's "hidden intentions regarding the Lebanese national pact if he was elected as a head of state," stressing that a consensual president shouldn't be affiliated in either the March 8 or 14 alliances.
Aoun continuously said that he will not announce his candidacy for the presidency if there was no political consensus on him.
Sources, however, told the daily that al-Faisal's stance doesn't necessarily reflect the kingdom's stand as Saudi Arabia welcomes the rapprochement between al-Mustaqbal
... the Future Movement, political party led by Saad Hariri...
leader Saad Hariri
Second son of Rafik Hariri, the Leb PM who was assassinated in 2005. He has was prime minister in his own right from 2009 through early 2011. He was born in Riyadh to an Iraqi mother and graduated from Georgetown University. He managed his father's business interests in Riyadh until his father's assassination. When his father died he inherited a fortune of some $4.1 billion, which won't do him much good if Hizbullah has him bumped off, too.
and Aoun.
For his part, Saudi Ambassador to Leb Ali Awadh Asiri said in comments published in al-Liwaa that the "kingdom doesn't interfere in a Lebanese local affair."
"The Lebanese should act and we hope that a consensual president, who adopts the Baabda declaration and dissociation policy, would be elected."
The diplomat continuously denied that his country is intervening in local Lebanese affairs, ruling out any contacts between Riyadh and Hariri regarding the presidential poll.