Turkey offers to help Lebanon with crisis with Gulf nations

BEIRUT (AP) — Turkey’s foreign minister says his country is ready to offer whatever support it can to help mend relations between Lebanon and Gulf Arab nations. The unprecedented diplomatic rift with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab nations unraveled late last month and has threatened to destabilize Lebanon’s new government and escalate the country’s economic tailspin. It erupted over comments by a Lebanese Cabinet minister over the war in Yemen that angered Saudi Arabia. Turkey’s top diplomat said during a visit to Beirut on Tuesday that Lebanon’s government needs support to ensure the small country’s stability and that general elections scheduled next spring take place on time.