Decision on MOU with Tribunal Delayed to Give Minority Time to Study Proposal
A decision to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the international tribunal has been delayed to give March 8 minority cabinet ministers more time to study the proposal.
Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar suggested the signing of the MOU between the Lebanese government and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon after chief U.N. investigator Daniel Bellemare becomes the court”s general prosecutor.
The memorandum calls for organizing relations between the Lebanese judiciary and the general prosecutor.
An Nahar daily said Friday that the cabinet decided to discuss the issue next week after March 8 ministers demanded time to study the proposal.
The ministers also gave the green light to install cameras to monitor the homes of officials involved in the court, which will start functioning on Sunday, and at the Justice Palaces of Baabda, Jdeideh and Sidon.
Following a request from majority ministers, Defense Minister Elias Murr and Interior Minister Ziad Baroud vowed to present details about other ongoing investigations into different incidents, including kidnappings and An Nahar”s recent report about the arrival of two convicted men to Lebanon via Syria without being arrested.
During the session, which lasted more than five hours, the cabinet also gave its approval to a draft law that includes a set of conditions for demands to have international observers monitor the elections.