Beirut- Asharq Al Awsat –Saudi Chargé d’Affaires in Beirut, Walid al-Bukhari, stressed Saturday that Lebanon’s stability has always been and will remain a priority for all Lebanese and Arabs, indicating that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia wants Lebanon to remain an independent, sovereign, free, secure and prosperous Arab country. Bukhari was speaking during the “Third Coffee Cup” Forum, entitled “Visual Media and Coexistence,” organized by Saudi Embassy in Beirut and held under the patronage of Caretaker Information Minister Melhem Riachi at “Beit Beirut” in Sodeco this afternoon. The Forum was attended by a number of prominent figures, Arab Ambassadors and Consuls, and Lebanese media representatives. The Saudi official said that the Forum provides an opportunity for reviewing together the joint responsibility of a number of heads of diplomatic missions and academic specialists in media affairs and the role of the visual media, in an effort to enhance the gains of coexistence and address all threats that aim to undermine our Arab nation and seek to divide us by race, ethnicity and sect. “From within this architectural masterpiece, which Lebanon turned into a museum documenting the civil war, we inaugurate the “Third Coffee Cup”, stressing the importance of coexistence in Lebanon characterized by pluralism and sectarian diversity, freedom of opinion and expression, and we are thankful to all those who contributed to this initiative,” Bukhari was quoted by Lebanese state-owned National News Agency (NNA).

In turn, Caretaker Minister Riachi asserted that media shoulders a responsibility in portraying public opinion, as well as creating it, which is an honorable duty of the media, particularly mass media or visual media. He deemed that the media, despite its shortcomings, cannot be held responsible for compromising coexistence in any way. Speaking to the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI), Riachi explained that the forum is important to all Lebanese people and Ambassadors who want to protect and salvage Lebanon. Beirut Governor, Judge Ziad Shbib also attended the forum and asserted that media is one of the main means to create public opinion and spread knowledge.