Paris urges new Lebanon cabinet to meet the country's international commitments, Mikati stays vague regarding the STLFrance on Tuesday urged Lebanon's new government to honour its international commitments, including backing a court charged with investigating the killing of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri.
"The formation of the Lebanese government... is an important step for Lebanon and the Lebanese," the foreign ministry said in a statement, referring to a new cabinet dominated by militant group Hezbollah and its allies.
"It is essential that the government pursues the implementation of Lebanon's international obligations and commitments, particularly on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and its funding," the French statement added.
Lebanon's new Prime Minister Najib Mikati faces the delicate task of framing his cabinet's policy on the Netherlands-based tribunal (STL), a UN-backed initiative that led to the downfall of the previous government. The court is widely expected to indict Hezbollah operatives over the killing, a move the Lebanese Shiite militant group has repeatedly warned against.
Lebanon's pro-Western opposition bloc, led by former premier Saad Hariri, has boycotted the new cabinet, slamming it as a tool of Hezbollah and its backer Syria, which has long exerted influence over Lebanese politics.
France said it hopes the new government will "ensure the security and stability of the country with respect for the state of law, the constitution and the neutrality of the state," the statement said. "It is by the yardstick of these principles and acts that we will judge the new Lebanese government."
"What's important in our mind is that the new Lebanese government abides by the Lebanese constitution, that it renounces violence, including efforts to exact retribution against former government officials, and lives up to all its international obligations," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.
He also urged the new government to support the UN tribunal. Hezbollah is viewed as a terrorist group by the United States, which has accused Syria and Iran of arming it with increasingly sophisticated rockets and other weapons for use against Israel. Israel and Hezbollah -- Lebanon's most powerful armed force -- fought to a bloody stalemate in a 2006 war that devastated much of southern Lebanon and killed hundreds of civilians.
Since his appointment in January with Hezbollah's blessing, Mikati has declined to spell out whether his government will cease all cooperation with the court.
The court (whose indictment is expected this year) will be one of the biggest challenges of his government . Mr Mikati has stayed vague regarding his position on the court created by the UN in 2007. "I will do my utmost so that Lebanon continues to respect international resolutions, but I have responsibilities when it comes to the stability of Lebanon," he said in an interview with AFP on Monday.
"It is essential that the government pursues the implementation of Lebanon's international obligations and commitments, particularly on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and its funding," the French statement added.
Lebanon's new Prime Minister Najib Mikati faces the delicate task of framing his cabinet's policy on the Netherlands-based tribunal (STL), a UN-backed initiative that led to the downfall of the previous government. The court is widely expected to indict Hezbollah operatives over the killing, a move the Lebanese Shiite militant group has repeatedly warned against.
Lebanon's pro-Western opposition bloc, led by former premier Saad Hariri, has boycotted the new cabinet, slamming it as a tool of Hezbollah and its backer Syria, which has long exerted influence over Lebanese politics.
France said it hopes the new government will "ensure the security and stability of the country with respect for the state of law, the constitution and the neutrality of the state," the statement said. "It is by the yardstick of these principles and acts that we will judge the new Lebanese government."
"What's important in our mind is that the new Lebanese government abides by the Lebanese constitution, that it renounces violence, including efforts to exact retribution against former government officials, and lives up to all its international obligations," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.
He also urged the new government to support the UN tribunal. Hezbollah is viewed as a terrorist group by the United States, which has accused Syria and Iran of arming it with increasingly sophisticated rockets and other weapons for use against Israel. Israel and Hezbollah -- Lebanon's most powerful armed force -- fought to a bloody stalemate in a 2006 war that devastated much of southern Lebanon and killed hundreds of civilians.
Since his appointment in January with Hezbollah's blessing, Mikati has declined to spell out whether his government will cease all cooperation with the court.
The court (whose indictment is expected this year) will be one of the biggest challenges of his government . Mr Mikati has stayed vague regarding his position on the court created by the UN in 2007. "I will do my utmost so that Lebanon continues to respect international resolutions, but I have responsibilities when it comes to the stability of Lebanon," he said in an interview with AFP on Monday.
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