Lebanese gov't forward Hariri Tribunal draft to parliament

The Lebanese government on Tuesday approved the UN draft of the creation of an international tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of ex-premier Rafik Hariri and forwarded it to the parliament, official NNA news agency reported.

The cabinet made the decision in its extraordinary session which took place at the Grand Serail, Prime Minister Fouad Seniora 's offices in downtown Beirut, which have been thronged by Hezbollah-led protestors since Dec. 1.

Tuesday's cabinet session came after President Emile Lahoud Saturday formalized his rejection to the cabinet decision to take the next step in ratifying the proposed tribunal, saying it was approved by an illegitimate cabinet that did not represent the Lebanese people.

The decision must be "reviewed by a legal, constitutional and consensual government," Lahoud said.

The 24-member cabinet was deserted by six pro-Syrian ministers last month amid a political crisis that has paralyzed the government.

According to Lebanon's constitution, the legal quorum for a cabinet meeting is a majority of two thirds of its members.

The parliamentary majority, on the other hand, accuses the pro- Syrian opposition of trying to block the cabinet endorsement of plans for the international tribunal.

Rafik Hariri was killed in a huge bomb blast in Beirut in February 2005. A UN probe has implicated Syrian officials' involvement in the killing though Damascus has repeatedly denied any role.

Source: Xinhua