The Prime Minister designate of Lebanon Saad Hariri paid a surprise visit to Istanbul on Friday where he was received by Turkish Head of State Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish presidency announced.
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During their meeting which lasted two hours, the two men notably discussed ways "
to deepen and strengthen
" relations between Ankara and Beirut "
in all fields,
" the presidency said in a statement.
The visit comes as Mr. Hariri strives to form a government in Lebanon amid multiple crises exacerbated by the novel coronavirus pandemic and an explosion in August in the port of Beirut that left more than 200 dead and shook the world. country.
After this disaster, Turkey had shown its solidarity by dispatching rescue teams, as well as its vice-president and its foreign minister.
Many observers believe that Ankara has worked hard in recent months to increase its influence in Lebanon, a former Ottoman territory.
These efforts are part of a context of regional competition between Ankara and Riyadh, traditional godfather of Sunni Muslims in Lebanon, and of rivalry between Mr. Erdogan and French President Emmanuel Macron, heavily involved in this issue.
After a highly publicized visit by Mr. Macron to Beirut on August 6, Mr. Erdogan accused the French president of "
colonialism
".