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Judicial Team Heads to U.N. to Discuss International Tribunal
A judicial team that is charged with discussing the international tribunal to try those suspected of assassinating ex-premier Rafik Hariri has left for U.N. headquarters in New York.
Newspapers reported Tuesday that magistrates Ralph Riachi and Choukri Sader are expected to hold talks with U.N. Undersecretary for Judicial Affairs Nicolas Michel.

The two judges met with Michel in January, when they started discussions about the nature and scope of the court to try the culprits in the Feb. 14, 2005 bombing that killed Hariri and 22 others.

The U.N. Security Council in March passed resolution 1664 that called on Secretary General Kofi Annan to negotiate an agreement with the Lebanese government on creating the tribunal.

The resolution followed a report by the U.N. chief in which he said that a hybrid court that includes foreign and Lebanese judges located outside Lebanon would be most appropriate to try the case.

Issues such as the funding of the court, the applicable law, the location, jurisdiction and other details remained to be determined before concluding the agreement between the U.N. and the Lebanese government.

One matter of concern to the international community is the death sentence that is sanctioned under Lebanese law. Officials, including Justice Minister Charles Rizk, have said that Lebanon was willing to suspend the death penalty in this case.

In another development, the government is expected to earmark over 4 billion Lebanese Pounds ($266 million) of the national budget to cover the expenses of the U.N. commission investigating Hariri's murder.

An Nahar newspaper reported Tuesday that at a cabinet session Thursday, ministers will discuss a proposal to designate 4,120 billion Pounds ($274 million) to pay for the international probe.

The commission started its work in June last year. Serge Brammertz, a Belgian prosecutor who now heads the probe, is expected to issue his second report to the Security Council on June 15.

Beirut, 30 May 06, 13:55


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