Williams Warns of Dangers that Could Result from Political Vacuum

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams stressed the importance of forming the cabinet to confront several challenges including the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s upcoming indictment.

In an interview published in As Safir newspaper Wednesday, Williams warned of the dangers of a power vacuum if the formation of the cabinet takes more time.

Such dangers could be nonpolitical, he said.

Asked if he thought the indictment would lead to civil war in Lebanon, the diplomat said: “I don’t think so.”

Williams told the daily that he discussed with Hizbullah officials Mohammed Fneish and Ammar Moussawi the Shiite party’s accusations against the international tribunal.

He said he believed the officials have admitted that the court is an international body and that Lebanon cannot confront it.

Williams, who will visit Israel in the next few weeks, said he will discuss with Israeli officials the Jewish state’s pullout from the northern part of the border village of Ghajar.

He also ruled out an Israeli offensive on Lebanon, saying the country’s leadership was busy with coping and assessing the situation in Egypt after the fall of President Hosni Mubarak.