Visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora Monday said his government gave priority to creating an international tribunal through constitutional institutions on the case of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's killing, Egypt's MENA news agency reported.

"Setting up the tribunal is for the best interest of all the Lebanese and for the sake of justice and ethics," Seniora said at a joint press conference with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.

Seniora, who arrived here earlier on Monday, said that creating the international tribunal of Hariri killing was "not only to deter the criminals but also to protect freedom."

He might make an appeal to holding an extraordinary parliament session for creating the international tribunal, Seniora said.

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

The Seniora government, backed by a parliamentary majority coalition, has made many attempts to set up the international tribunal to try alleged suspects in the assassination of Hariri and related crimes.

Besides Moussa, Seniora also met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Prime Minister Ahmed Nazef on the latest developments in Lebanon, according to MENA.

Source: Xinhua