1ST LEAD Hariri tells French television his aim is to keep Lebanon stable By Weedah Hamzah, dpa

Beirut (dpa) - Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said in an interview with French television Monday that his aim is to keep Lebanon stable and that he would like to stay on as premier."I would like the stability of Lebanon to be the first thing for everyone. For me, when the president asked me to suspend my resignation, I told him that we have to solve some problems, and we are doing some consultations, and I would like to stay," Hariri told CNews, according to his press office.Hariri has kept Lebanese political watchers guessing for most of the past month, first announcing during a November 4 visit to Saudi Arabia that he would step down, claiming risks to his life, and then turning around on November 22 to delay his resignation to pave the way for dialogue with other political leaders about relations with the rest of the region.Observers say the back-and-forth is possibly coloured by concerns about the pro-Iranian Shiite movement Hezbollah, which controls parts of the country and pressure from his Saudi backers, which are seeking to control Iranian influence.Hariri stressed that the pro-Iranian Shiite movement Hezbollah needs to show that it is staying neutral from regional crises."I expect the neutrality we agreed upon in the government ... where we said we will have good relations with all Arab countries ... We cannot say something and do something else."Hezbollah is a partner to Hariri‘s coalition government, formed late last year."When I saw that we have a very big problem with the Gulf, I had to make a positive shock," he added referring to his resignation. The surprise nature of the announcement prompted many in Lebanon to say Hariri was detained and forced to make it, a claim Saudi Arabia has denied.Referring to questions to what happened in Saudi Arabia, Hariri said "there are many stories that have come out, but I keep it for myself ... The important thing is the result; I do not want to discuss the three weeks."Asked about his relation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohamad Bin Salman, Hariri desribed him as "great reformer.""A very great reformer. He knows what he wants for his country. He wants the youth of the country to be represented throughout Saudi Arabia and is moderating Islam so that it becomes as we once knew it, because Islam is a religion of moderation and not of extremism," Hariri said.