BEIRUT | AFP - November 11, 2010
Lebanon's political deadlock continued on Wednesday after the cabinet failed to agree on what to do about alleged bogus witnesses in the probe of the 2005 assassination of ex-premier Rafiq Hariri.
Information Minister Tareq Mitri said after the four-hour meeting that "we need time; the discussions have been put off until next week."
Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah wants a vote on its demand for an inquiry by the nation's highest court into people it claims fed false information investigators of a UN-backed court probing the murder.
The move is widely seen as an attempt to torpedo the troubled Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), an international court based in The Hague set up in the aftermath of Hariri's killing along with 22 others.
President Michel Sleiman has urged rival parties to come to an agreement without subjecting it to a vote. On Wednesday, Hezbollah accused its pro-Western political rivals of protecting what it said were false witnesses against prosecution.
"We denounce ... attempts to halt the process of uncovering who was behind these witnesses, who were fabricated to destabilise Lebanon and harm Lebanon's relations with Syria," it said in a statement.
"The information leaked from the tribunal ... confirms beyond a shadow of doubt that as a result of its politicised course ... the tribunal is working for the benefit of Israel and its benefactors."
Hariri's allies have slammed Hezbollah's request as an attempt to discredit and derail the STL, which is reportedly set to indict members of the party in connection with the assassination.
Hezbollah and its allies hold one-third of seats in the cabinet formed last year under Prime Minister Saad Hariri -- son of the slain ex-premier -- following more than four months of arduous talks.
But as political alliances have shifted over the past year, the Shiite militant movement could now tie or even win a cabinet vote against the rival Hariri coalition.
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has warned against any accusations by the STL and said further cooperation with the court would be tantamount to an attack on his powerful group.
Despite Nasrallah's warnings, Hariri has vowed to see the STL through and has received strong support from his Western allies, including the United States and France.
Analysts have warned that the standoff could lead to the collapse of the government and a repeat of the 18-month political deadlock that degenerated into deadly clashes and brought Lebanon close to civil war in May 2008.
Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah wants a vote on its demand for an inquiry by the nation's highest court into people it claims fed false information investigators of a UN-backed court probing the murder.
The move is widely seen as an attempt to torpedo the troubled Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), an international court based in The Hague set up in the aftermath of Hariri's killing along with 22 others.
President Michel Sleiman has urged rival parties to come to an agreement without subjecting it to a vote. On Wednesday, Hezbollah accused its pro-Western political rivals of protecting what it said were false witnesses against prosecution.
"We denounce ... attempts to halt the process of uncovering who was behind these witnesses, who were fabricated to destabilise Lebanon and harm Lebanon's relations with Syria," it said in a statement.
"The information leaked from the tribunal ... confirms beyond a shadow of doubt that as a result of its politicised course ... the tribunal is working for the benefit of Israel and its benefactors."
Hariri's allies have slammed Hezbollah's request as an attempt to discredit and derail the STL, which is reportedly set to indict members of the party in connection with the assassination.
Hezbollah and its allies hold one-third of seats in the cabinet formed last year under Prime Minister Saad Hariri -- son of the slain ex-premier -- following more than four months of arduous talks.
But as political alliances have shifted over the past year, the Shiite militant movement could now tie or even win a cabinet vote against the rival Hariri coalition.
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has warned against any accusations by the STL and said further cooperation with the court would be tantamount to an attack on his powerful group.
Despite Nasrallah's warnings, Hariri has vowed to see the STL through and has received strong support from his Western allies, including the United States and France.
Analysts have warned that the standoff could lead to the collapse of the government and a repeat of the 18-month political deadlock that degenerated into deadly clashes and brought Lebanon close to civil war in May 2008.
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