France: Miqati’s Cabinet Should Respect U.N. Resolutions and Tribunal

French Defense Minister Alain Juppe has stressed that Najib Miqati’s government should respect international resolutions on Lebanon, including the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

Following talks with U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon in New York on Monday, Juppe said “a solution should be found to the current political crisis by preserving Lebanon’s unity and stability.”

When asked by An Nahar’s reporter about his point of view on the nomination of Miqati, who is backed by Hizbullah, as premier-designate, Juppe said: “We don’t interfere in Lebanon’s internal affairs.”

However, he stressed that Lebanon should “respect the resolutions of the U.N. and implement resolutions linked to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.”

He said UNIFIL, in which France has a contingent, helps stabilize the situation in southern Lebanon.