Roux Calls on Lebanon to Cooperate: Waiting for Fransen to Set Trial Date

Head of the international tribunal's defense office Francois Roux reiterated calls for the Lebanese authorities to swiftly respond to the defense office's requests that are approved by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon's Pre-Trial Judge, Daniel Fransen.

He considered in an interview with An Nahar newspaper that any delay in cooperation will have an impact on the trial.

“There's always delay in responding to our defense office team by the Justice Ministry,” Roux said, urging the Lebanese authorities to swiftly respond to any request made by the defense and by Judge Fransen.

Asked about the date of the in-absentia trial for four Hizbullah members indicted by the STL, Roux pointed out that the defense office is waiting for Judge Fransen to set the date after reports said that it could begin at the end of 2013.

“We should be all ready, in particular the Lebanese authorities,” Roux said.

The attorneys of the four men recently said they had insufficient time and resources to prepare a defense and needed more time before the trial could begin after the original start date on March 25, 2013 was postponed.

Concerning the funding of the STL, Roux said that he discussed the matter with the senior Lebanese officials he met, including Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati.

“They all assured me that there will be no difficulties regarding the matter,” the STL official said.

In 2012, Miqati announced that he had transferred Lebanon's share towards the STL without revealing the sources of the funding.