Lebanese president refuses to endorse Hariri tribunal draft

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud refused on Saturday to endorse a government-presented draft treaty to create a special international tribunal for Lebanon to try suspects in the assassination of ex-premier Rafik Hariri.

"President Emile Lahoud has rejected the decree that the cabinet adopted on November 25 regarding the international tribunal so that it can be reviewed by a legal, constitutional and consensual government," a presidential statement said.

Lahoud also sent a message to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan informing him of his refusal to ratify the document.

"Once a constitutional government is put in place, I will take action in order to correct the constitutional mistake," a statement said.

The Lebanese cabinet approved the Hariri tribunal's draft in an extraordinary session on Nov. 25 without six resigned pro-Syrian ministers.

The six pro-Syrian ministers resigned last month after Prime Minister Fouad Seniora and the anti-Syrian majority in parliament rejected the opposition's demand for a new national unity government.

Lahoud, a close ally of Hezbollah, has reiterated that Seniora's government was not legitimate anymore after their resignation.

Rafik Hariri was killed in a massive bomb blast in Beirut in February 2005. A UN probe has implicated Syrian officials involved in the killing though Damascus has denied its role.

Source: Xinhua