Williams Says Lebanon Has No Choice but to Pay its Share of STL Funds

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams said on Tuesday that Lebanon has no choice but to pay its share of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon funds.

“Lebanon has commitments … I think it would implement its commitments towards the tribunal,” Williams told al-Joumhouria daily. He said the Lebanese government would pay its dues because it “has no other choice.”

Asked about attacks on U.N. peacekeepers in the south, the diplomat expressed regret that no one has been arrested so far over the deadly bombings that have targeted UNIFIL patrols.

Williams denied that he had asked for a change in UNIFIL’s rules of engagement, saying however that an “important discussion” took place between the peacekeepers’ command and the Lebanese government on the security measures that it should take on the Beirut-South road to guarantee the safety of international troops.

He said there was no evidence about a possible involvement of Hizbullah in the attacks on UNIFIL.

Williams confirmed that efforts are underway to solve the issue of the northern part of the border village of Ghajar. He told al-Joumhouria that he still believed that Israel would withdraw from the Lebanese part of Ghajar. “This is possible to achieve within the coming months.”