| The Daily Star |
 |
BEIRUT: Discussions over the government policy statement were stalled Tuesday over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, pending an agreement between Hezbollah and Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
A political source told The Daily Star that the ministerial committee tasked with finalizing the draft policy statement will hold daily sessions until consent is reached over the article on Lebanon’s commitment to international resolutions, particularly the U.N.-backed STL.
Mikati, who headed the committee’s meeting, said discussions were positive and will be followed up Wednesday.
Hezbollah Minister of State for Administrative Reforms Mohammad Fneish told reporters at the Grand Serail to “forget about the Tribunal,” when asked whether the committee tackled the issue in its second meeting Tuesday.
“There are more important points, like the economy,” he added.
Information Minister Walid Daouk said that the committee will finalize its work over the draft policy statement during the session Wednesday.
Daouk added that the article touching on Lebanon’s commitment to the Tribunal had not been completed.
“We are almost done with the statement’s political section … Discussions over the issue of the STL were not completed and there are ideas being assessed and will be finalized in the next meeting,” he told reporters.
Hezbollah ally Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun had said earlier in the day that the ministerial policy statement will not be at odds with justice but added that the March 8 alliance opposed the manipulation of the truth.
“We will not confront anyone and we want justice but we refuse forgery and decisions taken in violation of international law. Our struggle with them is legal,” Aoun said, referring to the March 8 argument that the U.N.-backed tribunal was established illegally.
The STL, tasked with investigation of the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, is one of two fiercely disputed issues between the March 8 and 14 camps.
Discussions over the disputed issue of Hezbollah’s weapons were concluded as expected, after the committee decided to endorse in its policy statement its commitment to support the “tripartite equation of the Lebanese Army, resistance and people,” similar to the previous government.
The March 14 alliance had withdrawn its support for the above article, which former Prime Minister Saad Hariri had originally approved in his Cabinet policy statement, before a U-turn when Hezbollah and its allies toppled the government in January after Hariri refused to halt Lebanon’s cooperation with the tribunal.
Hariri’s media office said Tuesday that the Future Movement leader had left for Montreal, Canada, on a private visit with his family after having held talks with March 14 officials over two days in Paris.Political sources told The Daily Star that the ministerial statement would be concise, in contrast to the previous government’s statement.
Mikati’s formation of a Cabinet, in which Hezbollah and its allies hold a majority of seats, has raised fears in the West of the Cabinet’s intention to end cooperation with the STL.
A U.S. official recently described the government make-up as disappointing.
However, U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams welcomed the formation of the new government after a meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri Tuesday.
“I welcomed the formation of the Lebanese government last week and also the positive role that Speaker Nabih Berri played in its formation,” Williams said. “Speaker Berri and I agreed that Lebanon now has the opportunity to address many challenges, for example social and economic challenges, that affect the Lebanese people. Security in Lebanon is another challenge,” he added.
Williams added that he agreed, during talks with Berri, over the need to support the full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.
Among other topics on the Cabinet’s agenda is the approval of a new electoral law, which is likely to adopt proportional representation. Sources said that the adoption of the new electoral law was discussed during the ministerial committee’s meeting and will be featured in the policy statement.
A political source told The Daily Star that the ministerial committee tasked with finalizing the draft policy statement will hold daily sessions until consent is reached over the article on Lebanon’s commitment to international resolutions, particularly the U.N.-backed STL.
Mikati, who headed the committee’s meeting, said discussions were positive and will be followed up Wednesday.
Hezbollah Minister of State for Administrative Reforms Mohammad Fneish told reporters at the Grand Serail to “forget about the Tribunal,” when asked whether the committee tackled the issue in its second meeting Tuesday.
“There are more important points, like the economy,” he added.
Information Minister Walid Daouk said that the committee will finalize its work over the draft policy statement during the session Wednesday.
Daouk added that the article touching on Lebanon’s commitment to the Tribunal had not been completed.
“We are almost done with the statement’s political section … Discussions over the issue of the STL were not completed and there are ideas being assessed and will be finalized in the next meeting,” he told reporters.
Hezbollah ally Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun had said earlier in the day that the ministerial policy statement will not be at odds with justice but added that the March 8 alliance opposed the manipulation of the truth.
“We will not confront anyone and we want justice but we refuse forgery and decisions taken in violation of international law. Our struggle with them is legal,” Aoun said, referring to the March 8 argument that the U.N.-backed tribunal was established illegally.
The STL, tasked with investigation of the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, is one of two fiercely disputed issues between the March 8 and 14 camps.
Discussions over the disputed issue of Hezbollah’s weapons were concluded as expected, after the committee decided to endorse in its policy statement its commitment to support the “tripartite equation of the Lebanese Army, resistance and people,” similar to the previous government.
The March 14 alliance had withdrawn its support for the above article, which former Prime Minister Saad Hariri had originally approved in his Cabinet policy statement, before a U-turn when Hezbollah and its allies toppled the government in January after Hariri refused to halt Lebanon’s cooperation with the tribunal.
Hariri’s media office said Tuesday that the Future Movement leader had left for Montreal, Canada, on a private visit with his family after having held talks with March 14 officials over two days in Paris.Political sources told The Daily Star that the ministerial statement would be concise, in contrast to the previous government’s statement.
Mikati’s formation of a Cabinet, in which Hezbollah and its allies hold a majority of seats, has raised fears in the West of the Cabinet’s intention to end cooperation with the STL.
A U.S. official recently described the government make-up as disappointing.
However, U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams welcomed the formation of the new government after a meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri Tuesday.
“I welcomed the formation of the Lebanese government last week and also the positive role that Speaker Nabih Berri played in its formation,” Williams said. “Speaker Berri and I agreed that Lebanon now has the opportunity to address many challenges, for example social and economic challenges, that affect the Lebanese people. Security in Lebanon is another challenge,” he added.
Williams added that he agreed, during talks with Berri, over the need to support the full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.
Among other topics on the Cabinet’s agenda is the approval of a new electoral law, which is likely to adopt proportional representation. Sources said that the adoption of the new electoral law was discussed during the ministerial committee’s meeting and will be featured in the policy statement.
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