"I Was Wrong"

Al-Riyadh Editor: "I Was Wrong"

In an October 15, 2009, article titled "Yes, I Was Wrong in My Ideas and Statements," Al-Sudairi retracted his previous claims about Lebanon, saying: "Nothing is harder than acknowledging the magnitude of one's mistakes... If the mistaken ideas that I wrote about Lebanon [in my October 13 article] had appeared in an article by some other writer asking me to publish them in Al-Riyadh, reason has it that I would have refused to publish them. How did I arrive at this flawed perception of the situation in Lebanon?... It is not wrong to acknowledge an error when it occurs; rather, it is a virtue. I was wrong in my ideas and my statements, and I must apologize and make amends."............

Saudi Daily Al-Watan to the Lebanese: The Saudi Media Does Not Represent the Country's Official Positions

In an editorial, the Saudi daily Al-Watan stressed that Saudi Arabia supported Lebanon's independence and sovereignty and would not bargain over them. Addressing the Lebanese, the editorial stated: "You must understand that the new Saudi press is pluralistic and displays a wealth [of different opinions], so that it does not necessarily reflect [the country's] official policy. [The Saudi position] is expressed only by the [official] Saudi news agency. Rest assured that [Saudi Arabia] supports a free and independent Lebanon with full sovereignty over its lands and its destiny.".........