title: U.S. welcomes Hariri's return to Lebanon: State Department official
text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States welcomes Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri s return to Lebanon, a U.S. State Department official said on Wednesday. The United States is also encouraged by Hariri s discussions with Lebanese President Michel Aoun and his statement reaffirming his commitment to the stability of Lebanon, the official said. After returning to Beirut for the first time since he quit abruptly on Nov. 4 in a broadcast from Saudi Arabia, Hariri shelved his decision to resign at the request of Aoun, easing a crisis that had deepened tensions in the Middle East. 