While previous Lebanese governments have expressed their strong support for the U.N. Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the new government is expected to take a more equivocal stance in its ministerial policy statement. The committee in charge of drafting the statement has kept the language under tight wraps for the past two weeks, but our muckraking magicians here at The Qnion have managed to secure an advance copy of the Tribunal clause. Don’t forget where you saw it first!
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“The Government of Lebanon, which is commited to seeking justice — here construed according to the Rawlsian acceptation of an impartial distribution system of social goods and opportunities — will spare no effort to cultivate the ideals of legality, transparency, and moral rectitude in all cases of crimes committed against Lebanese citizens, and, to this end, will deploy a broad-based array of strategies (such as statements of righteous indignation, 24-hour anonymous tip hotlines, municipal police investigations [pending budget constraints], and candlelight vigils) to ensure that the nation’s sacrifices will not have been in vain.
“As regards the U.N. Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), this government puts itself and its security services entirely at the disposal of the Special Prosecutor’s Office and will diligently respond to its every request, a responsibility clearly outlined in U.N. Security Council Resolution 1757. Furthermore, recalling that all United Nations resolutions carry the force of authoritative (if not binding) statements of international law with respect to their member-states, this government will — as a gesture of moral support for the sanctity of this most hallowed institution — make its compliance with UNSCR 1757 contingent upon the fulfillment of all heretofore neglected U.N. resolutions (with particular reference to U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194 and U.N. Security Council Resolution 242).
“Failing the implementation of the aforementioned UN resolutions in a timely manner, the Lebanese goverment will, nevertheless, continue to honor its obligations to the international community by cooperating with the Special Tribunal on all matters with the exception of a few issues which will require, on a case-by-case basis, a standard internal consultative review process before they can be approved. These issues include: material evidence inquiries; arrest warrants; extradition requests; expert witness subpoenas; telecommunications data requests; immigration reports; administrative support (including but not limited to photocopying, translation services, word-processing, collating, stapling, envelope stuffing and courier services, coffee orders, late night Barbar runs, and taxi fares). Tribunal officials are kindly advised that the standard internal consultative review for each request requires 6-10 weeks for approval and is subject to an administrative processing fee, following which a decision may be appealed (subject to another 6-10 week review and processing fee). Requests not pertaining to the above list will be responded to promptly.”
Qifa Nabki 
Sounds like a very acceptable and clear Syrian proposition to me.
Posted by R2D2 | June 29, 2011, 5:23 pmSo what if the Tribunal indicts 5 Hezbollah members … ?
Records will show that these 5 members have indeed been recruited by none other than … tararatatam … the CIA !!
… and the plot thickens. Not !
Posted by R2D2 | June 29, 2011, 5:32 pmI know this is the Qnion, but you know what? I am willing to bet that what you just wrote up isn’t too far from the way the real ministerial statement is going to read.
Posted by Bad Vilbel | June 29, 2011, 5:39 pmAlso, it looks like minister Fadi Abboud has been reading my posts…
http://nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=286937
Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud told NBN television on Wednesday that Prime Minister Najib Mikati is concerned about both pleasing the international community and not provoking Hezbollah.
Abboud also said that nothing will happen in Lebanon when the STL’s indictment is issued, adding that the country is committed to cooperating with the tribunal.
However, he also said that Lebanon’s capabilities are weak and that the state may not be able to detain those accused by the STL’s indictment into the 2005 assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri.
Posted by Bad Vilbel | June 29, 2011, 5:40 pmBV
I responded to you on the previous thread.
Posted by Qifa Nabki | June 29, 2011, 5:42 pmResponded…Copying here…
QN,
I’ll stop repeating myself after this post. I guess there really is no point proving who was ‘right’ about anything.
But for fairness’ sake. I never claimed the ministerial statement wouldn’t pass. I always claimed that it did not matter one way or the other.
The one thing I did repeat over and over (and this is what I want you to hold me to, if you must) is: When push comes to shove and actual action is required of the Lebanese govt to meet its international obligations or face sanctions, HA will be forced to bring the government down.
That is my only prediction. Go back to my previous comments if you must. You’ll see that is the only actual “prediction” that i made (spare for the one I was wrong on with Ghassan).
The rest has been mostly me trying to explain that the STL has always been the main issue (and you seem to agree on that matter, so that’s a non-discussion).
Posted by Bad Vilbel | June 29, 2011, 5:54 pm……..”make its compliance with UNSCR 1757 contingent upon the fulfillment of all heretofore neglected U.N. resolutions (with particular reference to U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194 and U.N. Security Council Resolution 242).”
Insert smileyface here; ___
Posted by lally | June 29, 2011, 5:58 pmI wonder what will outweigh what …
The Hariri indictment details … or the sensational accusations Mr. Aoun and the “opposition” (?) have in store, that will see March 14 members practically “burn in Hell” for their crimes against Lebanon ?
Posted by R2D2 | June 29, 2011, 6:02 pmAoun’s “accusations” are just the same hot air he’s been repeating for 15 years now. If he really had some revelations, with actual proof, he would have brought them forth by now.
And let’s not forget that if Aoun were to open that can of worms, he stands to get splashed (tartache) himself pretty well…
This is the man who’s been ranting about corruption but who insisted that audits of the government go back to 1993, but not 1989 (when he was PM) when PM Saniora offered to hire an independent auditing firm…
Let’s not forget that this is a guy who was pretty well funded by Saddam Hussein, back in his heyday. And who reportedly took a nice chunk of cash with him to France when he went in exile (somehow, i doubt pensions pay all THAT well even for a General)….and let’s not forget his funding post 2005…etc.
Again…If the general really had something of substance to level against the various M14 figures, he would’ve done so by now.
That’s not to say the M14 guys aren’t corrupt. We all know they are.
What I’m saying is that Aoun simply does not have the capability to expose them. All this “day of reckoning” hot air he’s been spewing of late is nothing but hot air…as usual.
Posted by Bad Vilbel | June 29, 2011, 6:15 pmBV,
So who’s bluffing who ?
Posted by R2D2 | June 29, 2011, 6:22 pmPardon the pun here … but I heard the Iranians will be sending a monkey into space soon.
Why not send a Lebanese 3aouni?
**No offense to anyone. Really!**
Posted by R2D2 | June 29, 2011, 6:33 pmBTW.
No-one responded to my earlier question…. Do I let out a terrible stench? 🙂
Has there been any news report or articles talking about how the accusations went from being against Ahbash, to HA. Were they somehow in cahoots?
QN:
I don’t understand why you are stuck in minutia. You’re obsessing over it!
Now we have a Leb gvmt over which HA has significant sway, but its not a HA gvmt. Etc Etc.
Silly details that nut jobs Mediterraneans will get hooked over so they can argue for the next millennium over nonesense.
Kifaya.
Posted by Gabriel | June 29, 2011, 7:00 pmIf I was SHN, I would intervene immediately into Iran’s space program and say:
“No! … Stop! … It should not be a monkey’s privilege to ride on your first experimental rocket ship into space … it should be a Maronite’s privilege!”
Posted by R2D2 | June 29, 2011, 7:13 pmGabriel,
QN has made his lifetime mission to be knee deep in Tabbouleh & “khummus”…
Regardless; I am echoing BV that the ministerial statement (whatever the hell…oops mother superior…that is) is almost a copy of your Qnion piece.
Just brilliant. Day by day I veil is dropping on QN…He is the inside man of Bashar. 😀
Posted by danny | June 29, 2011, 7:52 pmLate night Barbar runs.loool
Posted by maverick | June 29, 2011, 9:01 pmEven a Qnion piece has an obligation not not confuse the facts. This idea of making 1757 contingent on 242 and 194 is one of the most common line s of arguments heard among a large portion of the Lebanese . But this position is not worth either the ink or the bandwidth that is wasted on it. Both of 194 and 242 are passed under chapter 6, a mere recommendation to the parties while 1757 is passed under chapter &, which demands compliance or else.
Posted by Ghassan Karam | June 29, 2011, 9:37 pmSo Jacob Tafnis is now moonlighting as a Miqati consultant
Posted by V | June 29, 2011, 9:43 pmGK.
Why was chapter VII invoked and who was prime mover who forced it?
From Gary C Gambill’s article:
“The witness scandals came at a very inopportune time, as Lebanon had not yet ratified a treaty governing the establishment of an international tribunal to try Hariri’s assassins. The Bush administration insisted on a tribunal charter that maximized American influence over the appointment of judges and prosecutors, allowed for in absentia trials, and relaxed evidentiary standards for convictions.[22]
Although most Lebanese politicians had supported the establishment of the tribunal, the American demand that these provisions be ratified in toto was adamantly opposed by the ruling coalition’s Hezbollah-led Shiite partners in the government. When March 14 leaders (under American pressure) used its cabinet majority to approve the charter unilaterally in November 2006, the Shiite bloc pulled out of the cabinet and joined the predominantly Christian Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) in a united opposition front. With parliamentary ratification of the charter stalled by the ensuing political crisis, the Security Council eventually imposed the charter through a Chapter VII resolution in May 2007, a measure that only 42% of Lebanese supported.[23]”
This American is disgusted by the obvious USG insistence on a form of “justice” and standards that are unrecognizable and would be completely unacceptable for and by it’s own citizens. The Lady of the Scales would rip off her blindfold at this mockery of equal justice for all.
Kudos to the Lebanese who resist the grotesque violation of their sovereignty.
At any rate, given the current regional volatility, the chances of the UNSC getting agreement to impose paper tigre sanctions on a recalcitrant Lebanon seem slimmer than ever.
Posted by lally | June 29, 2011, 11:03 pmlally #18,
You are throwing a smoke bomb in an effort to obfuscate and you know it 🙂 My point had nothing to do with why sthe UNSCR was approved 10-0 with 5 abstentions. You are free to indulge yourself in an analysis of why members voted the way they di. That is an academic question but it has absolutely no legal validity. The fact of the matter is that some resolutions are voted under chapter VI and some are voted under chapter VII. These resolutions carry completely different implications , by design.
Allow me to use an analogy to illustrate why alleged motivations are not important once the votes are cast. (1) Do you think that it is material why is it that Roe v Wade passed? No one gives a hoot. What is crucial is that it became law and all states are bound to honor it. (2) Would the motivation of why some judges voted the way they did to install Bush as a President? Not really.
The same exact logic applies to what I was cautioning readers from doing. One cannot predicate accepting 1757 upon the fulfillment of 242 since each carries different obligations. BTW, even if the difference in obligations did mot exist one can still make the argument that the precondition of implementing one resolution as a condition for implementing the other would still suffer from a fallacy, that two wrongs do not make a right.
Posted by Ghassan Karam | June 29, 2011, 11:29 pmI find that barbar is overrated there are a lot of restaurants with better sandwiches. This is the only point id like 2 make.
Posted by rachadmortada | June 30, 2011, 2:07 amQNion shmonion. This is Lebanon and garlic is king. Need a QNarlic post to really stimulate our olfactive sensibilities.
Posted by Honest Patriot | June 30, 2011, 3:16 amIs it finally over?
LBC is reporting that Mr. Mirza has been given a copy of the 130 page indictments and that 4 warrants of arrest have been issues.
http://www.lbcgroup.tv/LBC/Templates/NewsDetails.aspx?ID=29461
Posted by Ghassan Karam | June 30, 2011, 5:54 amYes it’s finally here! Let the Miqati Texas two step commence! We will be inundated with truckloads of manure if the reports are correct that HA operatives are to be indicted…
Posted by danny | June 30, 2011, 6:20 amHow shocking! Now I’ll turn anti-HA… NOT! I’m astounded that so many Lebanese think the STL is credible.
Posted by Usama | June 30, 2011, 6:58 am