Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that his cabinet is “determined to maintain its cooperation with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL),” which is probing the 2005 murder of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and 21 others.
“The cabinet is keen on cooperating with the STL, which was founded on the basis of UN Security Council Resolution 1757,” Mikati said during Thursday’s parliamentary session to discuss the political program of the newly-formed cabinet.
“To achieve justice and righteousness is the primary goal that we intend to keep pursuing. It is shameful to accuse the cabinet of renouncing [the pursuit of justice] in the murders of martyrs. I will not renounce the pursuit of justice,” Mikati said in response to the March 14 alliance’s accusations that the government will reject the UN-backed international tribunal.
He also denied March 14 parties’ statements that the cabinet will confront the international community.
Regarding an article in the ministerial statement – that the cabinet will “in principle” be committed to the STL – Mikati said that it “was taken from the formula presented by Saad Hariri’s [former] cabinet to the Council of Arab Foreign Ministers on March 2, 2011.” However, Future bloc leader MP Fouad Siniora interrupted the premier to deny the claim.
Mikati also commented on the clause including the phrase “respect for international [resolutions],” saying that the term “respect” is more important than the term “commitment”. This comes in response to March 14’s criticisms that the cabinet’s political program does not commit to international resolutions.
The Lebanese president uses the term “respect” in his oath, said the PM.
Also, Mikati said that his cabinet “will not disregard the issue of non-state arms,” adding that the government’s duty is to “preserve stability.”
“The cabinet will not take revenge or be malicious with any party… development will include all regions… and the government assures that drafting an electoral law is among its priorities,” he added.
He also said that his cabinet’s relations with Syria “falls within the framework designed by the 1989 Taif Accord.”
Lebanese deputies kicked off on Tuesday a three-day parliamentary session to address the political program of the government.
Mikati last week unveiled his government's program, which includes a vague clause saying Lebanon would respect international resolutions as long as they did not threaten civil peace or stability in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the STL indicted four members of the Iranian-and Syrian-backed Hezbollah in connection to the Rafik Hariri murder, but the party’s secretary general, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, ruled out the arrest of the four suspects from his party.
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