King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia underscored last month keenness on the safety and unity of Lebanon.

King Abdullah, during summit talks with Lebanese President Michal Suleiman in red Sea city of Jeddah, said it was important that Lebanon return to the Arab fold in an active manner, state-run news agency (SPA) said.

Suleiman appreciated Saudi Arabia's support to Lebanon as well as for the Doha agreement which brought about the election of Suleiman and formation of a government of national unity which will word fresh election law.

The president also described media attacks against Saudi Arabia as a blow to Arabism.

"Any Lebanese individual who attacks any of his Arab brothers in the media, particularly Saudi Arabia, is moving away from his Arabism," he said.

Saudi Arabia is a main financial backer of Lebanon, and Saudi King Abdullah reportedly told Sleiman that it was not true that the kingdom supports only one camp in this country.

"I hear that we are accused of being with some people and against others ... We are with all sides, and we do not pursue any private interests" in Lebanon, Abdullah told Sleiman, according to a Lebanese official.

The official, who requested anonymity, said the Saudi monarch made his remarks when he met Sleiman after the Lebanese leader arrived in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.

"Lebanon must be respected; all countries must respect Lebanon," Abdullah said, stressing that Saudi Arabia was prepared to "help Lebanon in whatever it demands," according to the official.

Some members of Lebanon's opposition, which is backed by Damascus and Tehran, accuse Riyadh of funding Sunni fundamentalist groups in Lebanon.

Relations between Riyadh and Damascus have been tense since the February 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri, a close Saudi ally, in a bombing widely blamed on Syria. Syria has denied any role in the assassination.

Addressing the Saudi king, Sleiman praised Riyadh for the role it played in sponsoring the Taif Accord, which ended Lebanon's 1975-1990 Civil War.

"We need not to go far back in history to see that Saudi Arabia had always stood by Lebanon ... We can start with the Saudi-sponsored Taif Accord, which established peace among the Lebanese," Sleiman said, adding that Saudi aid to Lebanon had exceeded all expectations.

"I would like to speak about the Saudi military aid to the Lebanese Army during the Nahr al-Bared battles last year," he said, referring to the conflict between with the Fatah al-Islam militant group in the Northern Palestinian refugee camp.

"We will not forget your famous saying: 'Letting down Lebanon equals letting down oneself,'" Sleiman told Abdullah.

The president also said the upcoming stage in Lebanon was one of reconciliation and dialogue, adding that the country needed help to solve the issue of Palestinian refugees.

"We must work on emphasizing the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland," he said.

The bilateral talks ended with the Saudi monarch awarding Sleiman a medal reserved for world leaders.

On the second day of his visit, Sleiman met Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdel-Aziz and Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal.

The president held talks with Faisal in the presence of Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh, Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi, Lebanese Ambassador Marwan Zein, and Saudi Ambassador Abdel-Aziz Khoja.

The Saudi foreign minister told reporters ahead of the meeting that differences over Lebanon were behind some of the kingdom's problems with foreign parties. "If Lebanon is in peace, the kingdom will be at peace with everybody," he said.

During his talks with Faisal, Sleiman proposed establishing a watchdog entity with the aim of countering terrorism in many Arab and Islamic countries.

Suleiman seeks Saudi investments

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman urged Saudi businesspeople to continue investing in his country despite the losses they incurred earlier this year during a severe political and security crisis in Lebanon.

“No investor will lose money in Lebanon now,” he said during his meeting with Saudi businessmen at Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Lebanese economy is stable now and allows free movement of funds, he said, adding a note of appreciation for King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, for his work in bringing about political, economic, and social stability in Lebanon.

The president saw scope for bigger joint ventures with Saudis. He said the investment facilities offered by the Kingdom, which include tax exemption and guidance based on clear-cut regulations, were a rarity in the world economy.

Suleiman said he has tasked his Minister of Economy and Commerce Muhammad Al-Sadafi with looking into the losses of Saudi investors in Lebanon.

According to Abdulmohsin Al-Hokair, vice president of the Saudi- Lebanese Business Council, Saudi investors had earlier this year planned to pull out a total of SR18 billion in investments from Lebanon.

Saudi Minister of Commerce Abdullah Bin Ahmad Zainal, who was with Suleiman at the JCCI meeting, also encouraged more investment in Lebanon.

Saudi-Lebanese trade has increased from SR981 million in 2000 to SR1.89 billion in 2007 and the Kingdom has turned into an investment magnet for the Lebanese with 543 joint projects totally valued at SR7.17 billion, Zainal said. Saudis have a 61.7 percent stake in the ventures along with the Lebanese and other foreign partnerships, he said.

The Kingdom seeks now to attract more Lebanese infrastructure investments in the projected mega economic cities including gas, power, and petrochemicals projects, he said.

Al-Hokair said that following the Lebanese political settlement and election of a new president, Saudi investments worth more than SR5 billion were starting to return to that country.

‘Jeddah summit important for Arab solidarity’

Lebanese Minister of Public Works Ghazi Al-Areedi described the talks between King Abdullah and visiting Lebanese President Michel Suleiman as cordial. The talks served a reminder of positive historical stances between the two countries and a confirmation that the Kingdom treats all Lebanese equally, he said.

Al-Areedi was part of the Lebanese delegation which was received by King Abdullah. King Abdullah and President Suleiman had frank discussions on on all Lebanese pressing issues, he said. The summit was a road map for strategic relations and boosting Arab solidarity, he added. The summit revolved around political, economic, commercial, and security aspects, Al-Areedi said.

The terrorism dossier was also discussed in the talks with a serious concern to continue war on terror.

Answering a question on whether the talks dealt with Lebanon’s relations with some neighboring countries, Al-Areedi said: they stressed the necessity for non-intervention of any neighboring country in the Lebanese internal affairs, and the keenness to safeguard Lebanon’s independence, security, and sovereignty.

He pointed out that they agreed to form committees to follow up the agreements of the Jeddah summit. He added that Dr. Abdul Aziz Khojah, the Kingdom’s Ambassador to Lebanon, who is playing a big positive role in strengthening the strategic relations between the two countries, will carry out what has been agreed on in the summit.

The Kingdom was the first country to support Lebanon in its battle against terrorists in Nahr Al-Bared, as it provided quick humanitarian aid and funds to develop and modernize the area.

As to the economic agenda in the talks, Al-Areedi said the two leaders discussed all its details as the Kingdom has extended all out support to Lebanon on this issue. As to whether Jeddah summit contributed in clearing the air among Arab countries, he said the Kingdom and Lebanon were and still are keen to boost solidarity and clear all the intra-Arab misconceptions.

The chairman of the Future Bloc, one of the main political groups in Lebanon, Sa’ad Al-Hariri, said:

“Lebanese view Suleiman’s visit to the Kingdom as reflecting the aspiration of all Lebanese nationals. He added that the Saudi-Lebanese relations have endured all tests.

He cited the Kingdom’s support for Lebanon in the most difficult circumstances. He lauded King Abdullah’s assistance to students in all regions of Lebanon and his keenness to safeguard Lebanon’s unity, safety, and stability.”