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Hariri court gets the OK
30/05/2007 22:41 - (SA)
New York - In a challenge to Syria,
the UN Security Council voted on Wednesday to set up a court
to prosecute the murder two years ago of former Lebanese prime
minister Rafik al-Hariri.
After months of arguments between deeply divided Lebanese
politicians and talks between the Beirut government and the
United Nations, 10 council members supported a
Western-sponsored resolution to set up the court and five
abstained. There were no votes against.
In pushing through the resolution, Western powers are
gambling that the boost to the Lebanese government's authority
and to the rule of law will outweigh any violent reaction in
the region.
Britain's UN ambassador, Emyr Jones Parry, told reporters
the vote would "send the right political signal" to Lebanon, a
country with a long history of political assassinations, many
of which have gone unpunished. Exceeding its authority
But the five countries that abstained - South Africa, Russia, China,
Qatar and Indonesia - argued that the council
was exceeding its authority and interfering in Lebanese
affairs.
"It is not appropriate for the Security Council to impose
such a tribunal on Lebanon," South African Ambassador Dumisani
Kumalo told the council.
The move responds to a request from Lebanese Prime Minister
Fouad Siniora, but the country's parliament has not approved
the plan because speaker Nabih Berri, an opposition leader who
disputes the cabinet's legitimacy, has not convened the
chamber. Syria
Central to the dispute are Lebanon's ties with its larger
neighbour Syria, which pro-government Lebanese leaders accuse of
killing Hariri and 22 others with a bomb in 2005. The outcry
over the murder forced Syria to withdraw troops from Lebanon.
Damascus denies involvement, but has indicated it will not
co-operate with the court.
Washington's UN ambassador, Zalmay
Khalilzad, warned Syria on Tuesday it would face "increased
pressure" if it did not do so.
- Reuters
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