BEIRUT: Caretaker Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud urged the Arab world and the West Thursday to demonstrate support for Lebanon and its democracy by visiting the country after a number of governments raised concerns over stability in Beirut.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry cautioned its citizens against traveling to Lebanon Wednesday until “calm and stability are restored,” a statement by the Saudi News Agency said after two days of protests against the designation of Najib Mikati as prime minister broke out Monday across Lebanon.

Turkey, Kuwait, Bahrain and Cyprus have also warned against the possible escalation of political turmoil into violence threatening Lebanon’s stability and unity.

President Michel Sleiman called on Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awad Osseiri to lift the caution against the travel of Saudi citizens to Lebanon after “calm was restored” and political developments took place in “constitutional and democratic fashion” during a meeting in Baabda Palace.

The protests kicked off as Hezbollah and its allies guaranteed a parliamentary majority naming Mikati as head of the new Cabinet, sidelining caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri after they brought down his government over the disputed issue of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

In a statement, Abboud said “requests by some [Arab] governments as well as Western ones calling on their citizens to refrain from visiting Lebanon during this period are surprising, particularly since this request came after protests ended and security was restored.”

“We call on all free people to visit Lebanon and stress their support for it and live the experience of change in a Lebanese way … and to congratulate the Lebanese people for its democratic achievement … and stand by its people’s side to build a free, resistant and independent country,” it added.

Fears of a withdrawal of foreign investments in Lebanon as well as decline in the tourism sector have mounted in some circles, as Mikati appears ready to form a Cabinet backed by March 8 groups, which are demanding that Beirut end its cooperation with the STL.

The Hariri-led March 14 coalition has so far rejected to participate in the new Cabinet, saying Mikati is Hezbollah’s candidate.

Commenting on the political turmoil, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Wednesday the escalation in tension and deepening divisions would harm the Lebanese people and could drive to instability and a rise in separatist movements.