Conflicting Reports on STL Funding as Cabinet Faces Impasse
The cabinet is not expected to discuss this week the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon probing the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
High-ranking sources told An Nahar newspaper on Monday that the government will not discuss on Wednesday the payment of Lebanon’s share in the STL.
The postponement of the discussions came as a result of the dispute over the funding after Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun refused to fund the tribunal without amending the protocol between Lebanon and the STL.
The sources noted that the meeting between President Michel Suleiman and PM Najib Miqati on Saturday at Baabda Palace touched on the issue after they made pledges in New York to commit to the payment of Lebanon’s dues.
They stressed that the gatherers stressed on the importance of avoiding a dispute similar to the electricity project especially since the STL is linked to Lebanon’s commitment to international resolutions.
The newspaper remarked that the centrists are seeking to coordinate their stances with Hizbullah, which in return wants to tackle this issue away from the media spotlight.
However, Ad-Diyar newspaper reported on Monday that the March 8 forces are keen to discuss the STL funding during the upcoming cabinet session.
The daily said that they refuse approving the issue by a decree signed by Suleiman, Miqati and caretaking Justice Minister Walid al-Daouq instead of Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi.
Al-Liwaa newspaper said minister of state for administrative reform Mohammed Fneish was surprised by Miqati’s commitment to the STL without discussing the issue with the members of the cabinet especially Hizbullah.
Sources told the newspaper that Hizbullah’s stance from the tribunal is “well known,” saying “Miqati accepted to form the cabinet he didn’t link it to the funding of the STL.”
The STL had released arrest warrants against four Hizbullah members, accusing them of being involved in Hariri’s Feb. 2005 murder.
The party has repeatedly announced that it will not cooperate with the tribunal, describing it as an American-Israeli product aimed at destroying it.
over 12 years
A true resistance puts its own people and country first not Iran and Syria first.
A resistance will assist in finding the truth about whose assasinating our leaders.
The resistance will not kill and intimated its own people whatever the excuse is!
The resistance will not back up dictatorships like in Syrian and Iran.
The resistance will not distinguish between Israel agents in Lebanon and their punishment. (Like Karam)
The resistance should accept and respect other opinions.
The resistance should not use George Bush’s "you’re either with me or against me”.
The resistance should defend our country against ALL outside enemies not only Israel.
The resistance should STOP using the Israeli/Zionist scare tactic and slogans as a tool to oppress other opinions and weaken our democracy.
The resistance must be honest, fair, just, patriotic and humble...otherwise it is going to fail and it will fail just like others before them.
I pity the blind followers of the so GLORIOUS resistance
over 12 years
We the people are friggin BROKE! BROOOOOOOKE! We cannot even fund ourselves anymore. Those who want to fund the STL farce can do so out of their own pockets. JUST LEAVE US ALONE. We are fed up with being fleeced by Hariri mafia. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH ALREADY. ENOUGH!
over 12 years
@beesho, you remind me of the show “la youmal” my bro has 10 kids etc…what’s wrong with your brain? the whole country has been BROKE since the end of the civil war (way before Hariri) hey Berri and Aoun have been around then; I bet you didn’t have a problem giving the CRAZY general and his idiot son in law over a BILLION $ ??? you must be a simpleton.... justice and freedom are not free. Plus go ask your Hizb or Aoun to give you some clean money and stop blaming Hariri for everything....stop bitc$ing and complaining and not doing a thing about it...You are but a bunch of goats following the bell of aoun and hibz...spare us and move the heck out of Lebanon to Syria or Iran.
over 12 years
it can't be true!!!
over 12 years
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wishes wishes...this goverment works and will not fail on this issue.
i know many would like (not just zionist information war department), but it's their vain wishes.