The resigned Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri was received this afternoon by President Emanuel Macron at the Palais des Champs-Elysees for a meeting which will be followed by a meal, reports the French Agency.
Hariri was received, with "prime ministerial honors", in the presidency a few hours after his arrival, at around 07:00 local time, in France, coming from Riyadh, from where he announced his resignation on November 4.
At the top of the exterior staircase of the presidential palace, Macron hugged Hariri before taking a position, smiling, for photos in front of a large number of journalists.
The 47-year-old Lebanese prime minister will be accompanied by his wife Lara and their eldest son over lunch with Macron and his wife Brigitte, according to the French presidency. Before receiving Hariri, Macron spoke by telephone with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, who "thanked him for France's actions in favor of Lebanon," the French presidency said.
Aoun also confirmed that Saad Hariri "will be in Beirut on November 22 for the anniversary of independence", as the presidency had announced a little earlier.
Macron said yesterday that it was a "friendly invitation to talk to him and receive the prime minister of a friendly country". He clarified that Hariri would be accepted in the presidential palace "as prime minister" of Lebanon, because "his resignation is not recognized in his country, since it has not been submitted".
Holding Saudi citizenship, Hariri cited "control" of Hezbollah - a member of the Iranian-backed government - over Lebanese politics and fears for his life to justify his resignation.