French Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le-Drian announced from Riyadh on Thursday that Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri has accepted an invitation to travel to Paris after Beirut accused Riyadh of detaining him following his shock resignation.
"He will come to France and the prince has been informed," Jean-Yves Le Drian told reporters, referring to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman with whom he held talks late on Wednesday.
Asked about the date of the visit for talks with President Emmanuel Macron, Le Drian replied: "Mr. Hariri's schedule is a matter for Mr. Hariri."
Lebanese radio VDL (93.3) quoted sources close to Hariri as saying that he “will fly from Riyadh to Paris within 48 hrs after which he will head to Beirut to submit his resignation officially.”
Speculation has swirled around the fate of Hariri, who is a dual Saudi citizen.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun has accused Saudi Arabia of "detaining" him and has refused to accept his resignation from abroad.