Lebanese president criticized for approach to Hariri tribunal

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud's recent report on the formation of an international court to try those accused of assassinating former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has met with harsh criticism from some politicians, local media reported on Wednesday.

Hariri was killed on Feb. 14 last year with 22 others in a powerful bombing on the Beirut seafront, causing a mass anti- Syrian waves and at last the withdrawal of Syrian military presence in the country. A UN-led special tribunal was formed to investigate the Hariri case following the incident.

In his 32-page report released on Monday, Lahoud made several suggestions to form a new international court, such as changing the name of the court from "special" to "a tribunal with an international status" as it will focus on "an assassination and not war crimes".

Meanwhile, Lahoud also highlighted the presidential role and responsibilities in the court's formation, quoting Article 52 of the Lebanese Constitution which states the president "negotiates international treaties in coordination with the prime minister".

The president's report have been criticized by some politicians.

In a statement issued by his ministry on Tuesday, Justice Minister Charles Rizk noted that he has informed Lahoud "step by step of the deliberations carried out between UN legal experts and the Lebanese magistrates".

He suggested that Lahoud was aware of those deliberations, which contradicted his Monday report, because he has a letter from Lahoud, dated July 21, mentioning that he has taken note of the deliberations.

Former premier Salim Hoss said on Tuesday that Lahoud "made a mistake in expressing his comments on the establishment of the court", whose "stance breaches the Constitution since he has not discussed the issue with the prime minister, or the cabinet for that matter, as stipulated by the Constitution."

Hoss also expressed his hope that any discussions about the international court should be held within the cabinet "to avoid further complications, especially since all Lebanese have come to an understanding on the necessity of establishing this court".

Robert Ghanem, head of parliament's Administration and Justice Committee, also said on Tuesday that Article 52 of the Constitution, as amended by the Taif Accord in 1989, is very different from the old one.

In an interview with radio Voice of Lebanon, he said: "The latter states that the president negotiates international treaties, and later on advises the cabinet of all negotiations."

Quoting the Taif Accord, Ghanem added that following the amendment, Article 52 stipulates that the president negotiates international treaties in coordination with the prime minister and that treaties are not final until ratified by the cabinet."

A statement issued by the youth wing of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) said the report "serves a sole purpose, that of defending his position, along with that of the four former security chiefs, and the Syrian regime."

The PSP and other members of the March 14 Forces accuse Syria of involvement in the Hariri assassination, along with the former heads of Lebanon's General Security, Army Intelligence, Presidential Guard, and Internal Security.

Lebanon's Maronite Bishops expressed concern on Wednesday about growing divisions among Lebanese over an international tribunal that would try suspected assassins of Hariri and demands for formation of a national unity government, the Naharnet news website reported.

In a statement, the Lebanese Council of Maronite Bishops urged the Lebanese to unite and work for the interests of the country, expressing "sorry for the division over the international court, the national unity government and the new electoral law".

The statement came one day after Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah warned that his pro-Syrian movement would resort to street demonstrations if round table dialogues fail to produce a national unity government.

Hezbollah and Gen. Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement have been calling for the toppling of Prime Minister Fouad Seniora's government and the formation of a national unity cabinet.

Lebanese rival leaders are scheduled to hold round table consultations in the parliament next Monday to discuss the issue of the government and the electoral law.

Source: Xinhua