Suleiman 'Took Notice' of Ban's STL Letter, Briefs Mansour, Qortbawi on Content
President Michel Suleiman on Wednesday said that Lebanon “took notice” about U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s letter regarding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon cooperation protocol.
He briefed ministers of foreign affairs and justice, Adnan Mansour and Shakib Qortbawi, on the content of the letter he received from Ban through the foreign ministry.
U.N. chief noted that he was inclined to extend the mandate of the STL probing the assassination of ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri for another three years.
Media reports said that the cooperation protocol with the STL is expected to be passed without any local fuss on the issue amid the cabinet’s impasse.
The Lebanese authorities will not submit any comments on Ban’s decision to extend the mandate of the court probing the 2005 assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri, sources told As Safir newspaper.
The daily reported that Speaker Nabih Berri informed Prime Minister Najib Miqati about Hizbullah and AMAL’s objection on the current cooperation protocol with the tribunal.
The protocol expires at the end of February. Under the protocol establishing the STL, the mandate may be renewed without Lebanese approval if the court has not completed its work.
On February 1, Miqati decided to suspend the Cabinet sessions, which was seen as a solution to avert a quarrel among its members over the renewal of the STL’s protocol, but the premier denied that scenario.
Separately, Suleiman stressed that “if we don’t accept the mechanism of administrative appointments that will indicate that we are still a long way from the spirit of democracy,” noting that “we must always protect the competent and upright citizen regardless of his political affiliation.”
Also on Wednesday, the president was briefed by Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji on the security situation in the country, especially in Tripoli.
During the meeting, Suleiman lauded “the measures and steps taken by Qahwaji to restore normalcy following the latest clashes that erupted” in the northern city, state-run National News Agency reported.
Source: Naharnet
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