Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel said on Tuesday that his party is committed to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon ( STL) and said he hoped Prime Minister Najib Mikati would maintain his support to the Netherlands-based court to achieve its mission.
Following a meeting with Mikati, Gemayel said that paying Lebanon’s share of funding of the STL “is very important.”
However, Gemayel added that what is more important is for the government to be convinced that there is a need “to hold on to justice,” the National News Agency (NNA) reported.
Gemayel told reporters that he “encouraged” Mikati “to maintain his support to the STL.”
The Hezbollah-led March 8 parties – which currently dominate Lebanon’s cabinet – have opposed a clause in the Lebanese annual state budget pertaining to the funding of the UN-backed court, while Mikati has repeatedly voiced Lebanon’s commitment to the tribunal.
Four Hezbollah members have been indicted by the STL. However, the Shia group strongly denied the charges and refuses to cooperate with the court.
Lebanon contributes 49 percent of the STL’s annual funding.
Gemayel and Mikati reviewed what is currently happening on the Lebanese and regional landscape.
Gemayel said that a number of incidents are taking place in Lebanon and the government is not addressing them actively. “This is not normal and the people have the right to know what is happening” Gemayel said.
Gemayel added that it is important to keep on following up what is happening in the Middle East and for Lebanon to play its role.
“Our role is not to export weapons or more violent thought,” Gemayel said. He added, “We need to pass on the most important thing we have and that is Lebanese dialogue and coexistence.”
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