STL Protocol Expected to be Renewed without Lebanon’s Remarks

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon cooperation protocol is expected to pass automatically without any local fuss on the issue amid the cabinet’s impasse, according to newspapers published on Monday.

The Lebanese authorities will not submit any comments on U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon’s decision to extend the mandate of the court probing the 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 Presidency and the Foreign Ministry received six days ago a letter from Ban inquiring authorities if Lebanon had any comments on the renewal of the STL protocol.

The U.N. Secretary General is willing to renew the court’s mandate for further three years.

Lebanon's mandate with the U.N. as concerns the STL 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 the issue.