PM Najib Miqati emphasized respect to international decisions however, assured that STL decision needs Lebanese consensus.
Lebanese PM Najib Miqati stressed the new government will accept international decisions regarding the Special Tribunal for investigating former PM Rafiq Hariri’s assassination in case the internal consensus has been reached to.
PM Miqati said - in an interview which will be broadcasted on Al-Arabiyya Channel Friday evening - that the article on the STL is still being drafted. He assured that “no matter what was being said, we cannot cancel the tribunal because it was formed in accordance with an international resolution. undoubtedly, we respect international legitimacy.”
PM Miqati excluded the “disarmament of Hezbollah” and assured that “the resistance confronted the Israeli enemy and made strong efforts to Liberate the Lebanese lands.”
He further assured that “the resistance is honorable and rightful, and we should not drag it into the streets. I believe that the resistance leaders are aware of this truth and act upon it.”
On the regional level, Lebanese PM called upon Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad to conduct urgent reforms.
“We have historical bonds, treaties, and agreements with Syria that we respect. All we hope for is that Syria witnesses stability and security, and that President Bashar Al-Assad would direct the necessary reforms that he announced, PM Miqati added.
On the cabinet formation, PM Miqati pointed out that “I recognize the big campaign by the opposition against the government, but I believe that governing needs persistence, and we are all here to preserve Lebanon’s sovereignty, liberation, stability, and the free decision.”
“We seek a strong relation with all the neighboring and friendly countries. We are neither in confrontation with the international tribunal nor with the Arab brothers, and we will emphasize this in the policy statement,” he added.
The Lebanese PM indicated that he spared no effort to form a cabinet which includes all the Lebanese factions, including the March 14 group. “However”, he said “this part refused to take part in the government.”
