BEIRUT: France’s Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner concluded a two-day official visit to Lebanon Saturday during which he reiterated France’s support for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), saying it was not “biased,” but established for the good of the country.
Prior to his departure, Kouchner held a news conference at the French Embassy in Beirut. The minister said that “France is beside Lebanon and supports the course of the STL for the good of all Lebanese, because it is not acceptable to allow impunity in such a crime.”
“There is no specific group targeted and I do not know what the indictment includes. International justice always progresses and no one can affect it,” he said.
Tensions have mounted since Hizbullah labeled the STL, which is probing the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, an “Israeli project,” designed for sparking civil strife in the country and called for boycotting its probes.
Hizbullah indicated that members from the group would be targeted by an impending indictment from the Special Tribunal.
“I can assure you through my experience that such courts are not biased, I can’t predict the results of the investigations and the indictment … let’s wait, I don’t know when will the indictment be issued, I think we should wait for it calmly,” said Kouchner while answering a question.
“Why all this anxiety? Are those against [the STL] opposing the uncovering of who killed Rafik Hariri?” he asked.
Kouchner denied his visit to Lebanon took place because the indictment was drawing closer and stressed that his country could not abrogate the indictment.
Kouchner said he had invited Prime Minister Saad Hariri to visit France.
He dismissed media reports saying that his meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri during the latter’s visit to France had been “stormy.” “This is completely false and we did not disagree, I listened with great interest to the speaker, just like always,” he said, adding that he couldn’t meet Berri in Lebanon because the latter was receiving local delegations at his southern residence in Msaileh.
However, Health Minister Mohammad Jawad Khalifeh said over the weekend there was nothing “new” that required a second meeting between Berri and Kouchner after they met in France. “Some officials want meetings upon demand,” he said. “We ministers arrange an appointment one or two months before when we want to travel to a country.”
Also over the weekend, Kouchner held talks with Hizbullah’s international relations officer Ammar al-Moussawi at the French Embassy.
Also over the weekend, Kouchner held talks with Hizbullah’s international relations officer Ammar al-Moussawi at the French Embassy.
A statement issued by Hizbullah said Moussawi told Kouchner that recent French stances did not contribute to enhancing stability in Lebanon.
According to the statement, Moussawi said Hizbullah was the biggest victim of Hariri’s assassination in February 2005 as the consequences that followed contributed to cornering the resistance.
“From the beginning, the course of investigations suffered dangerous violations that moved it away from its professionalism and objectivity,” said Moussawi. He added that Israel was one of the biggest beneficiaries from Hariri’s death and that the United States wanted to use the STL as the last “rifle” against the resistance.
Moussawi called upon France to adopt an independent policy toward Lebanon and the region, taking into consideration the sensitivity of the situation and warning that Lebanon not be used as a testing-ground.
Following the meeting, Moussawi said Kouchner informed him that the indictment would target members from Hizbullah rather than the entire party.
“This is an indication that what Hizbullah fears is true,” he said.
Lebanese daily An-Nahar Sunday quoted some French sources as denying that Kouchner said so “because he knows neither the timing nor the content of the indictment.”
Earlier Saturday, Kouchner visited Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir in Bkirki. He also discussed the situation in Lebanon and the region with Foreign Minister Ali Shami at the Foreign Ministry.
The French official also held talks with head of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun, head of the Phalange Party Amin Gemayel, MP Marwan Hamadeh and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. –The Daily Star
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