Moussa encouraged in his mediation
Beirut (AsiaNews) – Separating the issue of the international tribunal that would investigate the Hariri murder from the ongoing political conflict between the Lebanese government and opposition is the difficult task Amr Moussa, the secretary general of the Arab League, faces as he begins an attempt to mediate between warring Lebanese factions. Moussa, who held talks yesterday with Lebanese leaders, called the meetings encouraging.
In the Lebanese press, his mediation is said to be cause for ‘hope’ but one paper, Al-Mustaqbal, reports that Syria is putting pressure on its Lebanese allies to scuttle the process.
Meanwhile Fouad Siniora’s government received unreserved support from the UN Security Council in a statement unanimously approved in support of Lebanon's democratically elected government and against attempts to destabilise it.
UN probe chief Serge Brammertz completed his third report into the Hariri assassination.
According to his 22-page document, the investigation “has reached a critical stage in its investigations”. It found a link among the political assassinations that have occurred since 2004 and that the suspected author of the Hariri murder “did not spend his youth in Lebanon”. International cooperation with the UN probe also remains a main issue for Brammertz, who complained that some countries “have provided late or incomplete responses, or have not responded at all.” But he made it clear that the “cooperation of Syria with the Commission remains timely and efficient.”
In Lebanon itself the tug of war between government and opposition continues as the Lebanese Cabinet forwarded a draft to parliament yesterday to approve the formation of an international tribunal in the Hariri case. This step is necessary under Lebanon’s constitution after Lebanese President Émile Emile Lahoud refused to sign the first draft proposal.
Amr Moussa, who arrived in Beirut yesterday, comes on the heels of Mustafa Otman Ismail, a Sudanese presidential envoy, who so far has reported no progress in mediation. Never the less, Ismail has submitted four issues for discussion: the formation of a national unity government; an international court to try those suspected of the assassination of a former premier; early presidential elections and a planned international donor's conference to assist Lebanon's reconstruction process.
Moussa, who met yesterday with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri, parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, is due to meet today with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir, Michel Aoun, Amin Gemayel and Walid Jumblatt. He is also scheduled to meet Siniora and Berri again.
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