Post by maxell on May 30, 2007 6:38:28 GMT -5
Lebanese Await International Tribunal, Hariri Urges Calm
Most Lebanese waited Wednesday for a U.N. Security Council Resolution creating the long-expected International Tribunal to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and related crimes.
Parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri, son and heir of the slain leader, urged supporters of the March 14 majority to behave in a "civilized" manner after endorsement of the tribunal resolution by the U.N. Security Council, scheduled for Wednesday evening (Middle East time).
Hariri also called on supporters of the majority to "light candles and raise Lebanese flags" after endorsement of the resolution.
He urged "calm and cautious behavior" to avoid an escalation of the security situation "which only serves the interests of parties that oppose the tribunal," Hariri said.
He was referring to Syria and its Lebanese allies in the Hizbullah-led opposition.
Syria has been charged with responsibility for the Hariri murder and a spate of assassinations related to it.
The Damascus regime, however, has denied the charge.
Hariri, in an interview with An Nahar's Youth supplement, said the Fatah al-Islam terrorist network which is fighting the Lebanese army in north Lebanon was set up by Syrian President Bashar Assad to torpedo efforts aimed at creating the International Tribunal and trying suspects in the 2005 murder and related crimes.
Syria has said it would not surrender any suspect to the international tribunal.
Meanwhile, western powers that back the majority Lebanese government of Premier Fouad Saniora said they planned to push for a Security Council vote Wednesday on their binding draft resolution to set up the tribunal.
"The sponsors have decided to move forward ...and go for a vote tomorrow," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Zalmay Khalilzad, who chairs the 15-member council this month, told reporters after closed-door consultations on the issue Tuesday.
He said there were "sufficient votes to move forward" for a vote Wednesday afternoon.
The amended draft circulated late Friday and also co-sponsored by Belgium, Slovakia and Italy, sets June 10 as the date for the creation of the court unless rival Lebanese factions reach their own deal first, which would allow the treaty to come into force sooner.
It was introduced at the request of Saniora and after U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon reported that the rival Lebanese parties were unable to reach agreement on parliamentary ratification of the tribunal deal.
The aim, the sponsors stress, is to ensure that there be no impunity for those responsible for the Hariri slaying and to deter such crimes in the future.
Hariri and 22 other people were killed in a massive bomb blast in February 2005, widely blamed on Syria, which was then forced to end nearly 30 years of military and political domination in Lebanon.
An initial U.N. inquiry into the Hariri slaying implicated Damascus, which has denied any involvement.
Russia, a veto-wielding council member and a close ally of Syria, however voiced reservations to the draft's reference to Chapter Seven of the U.N. Charter, which is invoked in cases of threats to international peace and security.
"We believe that there are better legal ways to do it (establish the court), which would avoid a number of serious legal and possibly political repercussions," Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters.
"The U.S. view is that the reference to Chapter Seven is necessary," Khalilzad retorted. "The risks of not moving forward are greater."
The sponsors said they were insisting on invoking the chapter to send "the clearest signal" to the Lebanese parties that the text is absolutely legally binding and that the creation of the tribunal cannot therefore be challenged.
"We have introduced amendments to the text which is improved," French Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere said, stressing that additional minor changes were still possible to make the draft "even clearer".
He cited as an example the so-called "sunrise clause" that delays until June 10 implementation of the tribunal resolution to satisfy those council members who pressed for a grace period to allow the Lebanese rival parties to reach an internal agreement.
The draft gives the Lebanese parties "a last chance to find a solution," de La Sabliere said.
The Lebanon-U.N. deal envisages a mixed tribunal composed of two chambers, a trial court composed of three judges -- one of them Lebanese alongside two foreigners -- and an appeals court with five judges, including two Lebanese.(Naharnet-AFP)
Beirut, 30 May 07, 09:46
Most Lebanese waited Wednesday for a U.N. Security Council Resolution creating the long-expected International Tribunal to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and related crimes.
Parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri, son and heir of the slain leader, urged supporters of the March 14 majority to behave in a "civilized" manner after endorsement of the tribunal resolution by the U.N. Security Council, scheduled for Wednesday evening (Middle East time).
Hariri also called on supporters of the majority to "light candles and raise Lebanese flags" after endorsement of the resolution.
He urged "calm and cautious behavior" to avoid an escalation of the security situation "which only serves the interests of parties that oppose the tribunal," Hariri said.
He was referring to Syria and its Lebanese allies in the Hizbullah-led opposition.
Syria has been charged with responsibility for the Hariri murder and a spate of assassinations related to it.
The Damascus regime, however, has denied the charge.
Hariri, in an interview with An Nahar's Youth supplement, said the Fatah al-Islam terrorist network which is fighting the Lebanese army in north Lebanon was set up by Syrian President Bashar Assad to torpedo efforts aimed at creating the International Tribunal and trying suspects in the 2005 murder and related crimes.
Syria has said it would not surrender any suspect to the international tribunal.
Meanwhile, western powers that back the majority Lebanese government of Premier Fouad Saniora said they planned to push for a Security Council vote Wednesday on their binding draft resolution to set up the tribunal.
"The sponsors have decided to move forward ...and go for a vote tomorrow," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Zalmay Khalilzad, who chairs the 15-member council this month, told reporters after closed-door consultations on the issue Tuesday.
He said there were "sufficient votes to move forward" for a vote Wednesday afternoon.
The amended draft circulated late Friday and also co-sponsored by Belgium, Slovakia and Italy, sets June 10 as the date for the creation of the court unless rival Lebanese factions reach their own deal first, which would allow the treaty to come into force sooner.
It was introduced at the request of Saniora and after U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon reported that the rival Lebanese parties were unable to reach agreement on parliamentary ratification of the tribunal deal.
The aim, the sponsors stress, is to ensure that there be no impunity for those responsible for the Hariri slaying and to deter such crimes in the future.
Hariri and 22 other people were killed in a massive bomb blast in February 2005, widely blamed on Syria, which was then forced to end nearly 30 years of military and political domination in Lebanon.
An initial U.N. inquiry into the Hariri slaying implicated Damascus, which has denied any involvement.
Russia, a veto-wielding council member and a close ally of Syria, however voiced reservations to the draft's reference to Chapter Seven of the U.N. Charter, which is invoked in cases of threats to international peace and security.
"We believe that there are better legal ways to do it (establish the court), which would avoid a number of serious legal and possibly political repercussions," Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters.
"The U.S. view is that the reference to Chapter Seven is necessary," Khalilzad retorted. "The risks of not moving forward are greater."
The sponsors said they were insisting on invoking the chapter to send "the clearest signal" to the Lebanese parties that the text is absolutely legally binding and that the creation of the tribunal cannot therefore be challenged.
"We have introduced amendments to the text which is improved," French Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere said, stressing that additional minor changes were still possible to make the draft "even clearer".
He cited as an example the so-called "sunrise clause" that delays until June 10 implementation of the tribunal resolution to satisfy those council members who pressed for a grace period to allow the Lebanese rival parties to reach an internal agreement.
The draft gives the Lebanese parties "a last chance to find a solution," de La Sabliere said.
The Lebanon-U.N. deal envisages a mixed tribunal composed of two chambers, a trial court composed of three judges -- one of them Lebanese alongside two foreigners -- and an appeals court with five judges, including two Lebanese.(Naharnet-AFP)
Beirut, 30 May 07, 09:46
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