French leader to receive Lebanon's Hariri on Saturday

By Hajer M'tiri

PARIS (AA) - French President Emmanuel Macron will receive resigned Lebanese Premier Saad Hariri on Saturday, the French presidency confirmed on Friday.

The two leaders will give a joint news conference following their meeting, according to an Elysee statement.

On Wednesday evening, Macron confirmed he had invited Hariri to visit the French capital “for a few days with his family” and said Hariri was "not at all" seeking political asylum in France.

Macron’s invitation came after Lebanese President Michel Aoun said Hariri was being held against his will in Riyadh, from which he abruptly announced his resignation 12 days ago.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir slammed the claims as “unacceptable and baseless” and said: “Hariri can leave [Saudi Arabia] whenever he wants based on his assessment of Lebanon’s current security situation.”

Aoun, meanwhile, has yet to formally accept Hariri’s resignation once back to Beirut.