July 26, 2010 - Naharnet - French Official Rules Out End to International Financial Backing for Tribunal

A high-ranking French official ruled out that countries which supported Lebanon's demand to establish the Special Tribunal for Lebanon would stop financing the court.
The official told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat the international tribunal that would try ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's suspected assassins should operate in a calm atmosphere, stressing that Paris does not have the right to ask the court about the advances made in the investigation into the Feb. 2005 bombing.

The tension in Lebanon could be the result of developments in the investigation, the source said, stressing, however, on the need to remain calm and await the findings of the STL.

"Doubting the court before the announcement of decisions leads to a counter result," the official told al-Hayat.

Asked if Paris asked Israeli chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi last week not to launch an aggression on Lebanon, the source said France is against violation of the U.N.-drawn Blue Line and condemns any violation of Security Council resolution 1701.

About the alleged Syrian transfer of Scud missiles to Hizbullah, the official said: "The case collapsed and no one is talking about it because no one has any proof about the existence of these missiles."