Iloubnan - Aoun: Deal over STL not constitutional, October 6, 2011

Concord over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) did not track a constitutional path, Reform and Change bloc Head MP Michel Aoun said on Wednesday evening, refuting the existence of ties between Lebanon and the International Security Council over the STL.Aoun shares the convictions of March 8 political camp that decisions made over the STL had always been one-sided. March 8 has always accused the former Hariri-led cabinet of imposing the STL over Lebanon, under the 7th chapter. "Only agreements made between Lebanon and any other team are an obligation to the Lebanese state," the Free Patriotic Movement leader told "Monte Carlo" radio. He explained that any Lebanese agreement with the Lebanese state ought to be endorsed by the House of Parliament, a process that the STL had not been subject to. "It is a matter of concept. We don't want to pay simply because it is not right to have us pay for things we are not responsible for," he said as referring to the STL. As for Prime Minister Najib Mikati's New York affirmation of Lebanon's commitment to international obligations, most importantly funding the STL, Aoun held Mikati directly responsible for his words. "He made an erroneous commitment," Aoun said about Mikati, promising that he would be held responsible if he funded the STL from the Lebanese treasury's money. Aoun also said that Mikati was free to express his opinion at the personal level. "But when Mikati decides to shift from talking to implementing, he has to gain the consent of the Lebanese cabinet and parliament" Aoun said. "He will not have this, because it's against the constitution." The FPM leader went on to affirm that his bloc did not intend to push Mikati towards resignation, with its position from the STL funding. "He can apologize," he said about Mikati. "Presidents and leaders of the world apologize when they blunder!" Responding to a question about a discrepancy traced in Aoun's past and present position from the Syrian regime and people, he asserted that "none" wished to see Syria lose its stability, no matter what. "All are required today to take part in the [Syrian] reform up-rise," he added. "We want to live in peace and stability with Syria. This has been our position since our conflict back in 1989."