The Security Council on Wednesday authorized UN negotiations
with Beirut on the establishment of a special court to try suspects
in the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik
al-Hariri.
Hariri and 22 others were killed in a February 14, 2005, truck
bombing in Beirut. A UN commission was set up to investigate the
crime after the council concluded a Lebanese inquiry would not be
credible due to Syrian domination of its neighbor.
Then, last December, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora wrote UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan requesting help in bringing Hariri's
killers to justice once they were identified.
The UN probe is still under way but investigators told the
council last year they had evidence the bombing could not have been
carried out without the approval of top-ranked Syrian security
officials, working with their Lebanese counterparts.
Syrian officials have denied any involvement by Damascus.
A resolution adopted unanimously by the 15-nation council on
Wednesday called for Annan to launch talks with the government of
Lebanon "aimed at establishing a tribunal of an international
character based on the highest international standards of criminal
justice."
UN Legal Counsel Nicolas Michel has already held several rounds
of exploratory talks with Lebanese judicial officials.
He said earlier this month there was broad agreement on both the
Lebanese and UN sides that a tribunal could not be located on
Lebanese soil due to security considerations, but should have a mix
of both Lebanese and international judges.
The question of funding is expected to be a major sticking point
for the new court. Another issue to be resolved is whether the
court should try suspects in other recent killings in Lebanon that
appeared to be politically motivated.
Estimates are a new tribunal could cost some $25 million in its
first year.
While Annan has argued the money should come from member-states'
UN dues payments, the United States and other council members
typically push for such tribunals to be paid for through voluntary
contributions, to keep down dues.
(Chinadaily.com via agencies March 30, 2006)
