Hariri Declines Comment on Der Spiegel Article: This Is Press Talk, STL Will Be the Judge
MP Saad Hariri on Monday declined to comment on a report that Hizbullah was allegedly behind the murder of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and said the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) decides on who the real perpetrators are.
Germany”s Der Spiegel news magazine reported on Saturday that the U.N. commission probing the Hariri murder had new evidence that Hizbullah special forces "planned and executed" the Beirut car bombing on February 14, 2005. The explosion killed Hariri and 22 others.
Reacting to the article, MP Hariri said: "There are many newspapers that publish reports about the international tribunal. We always say the tribunal is the entity that will identify and decide who committed the murder.
"This is why we consider all that is being said in the newspapers as merely press talk and we have no comment on it," he added.
He also refused to comment on press reports that the Der Spiegel article had been written in Lebanon.
"In the past we used to read accusations left and right," he said.
"We insist that the international tribunal will decide. Public Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare clearly and bluntly commented on what has been published. We support what he says and what comes out of the tribunal," Hariri insisted.
Separately, Hariri and visiting Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov laid a wreath at Rafik Hariri”s grave.
"Russia has always supported Lebanon when it comes to international resolution either with regards to the tribunal or Resolution 1701," Hariri said later.
"It cares about Lebanon”s sovereignty and independence and … (wants to make sure) there is no external meddling in Lebanese affairs," he added.
Hariri praised Lebanese-Russian ties pointing to Russia”s "significant" military assistance for the Lebanese army. He said Moscow recently provided the Lebanese army with 10 MiG-29 aircrafts.
Hariri voiced hope for more cooperation between the two countries including in the economic sector.
On the elections, Hariri said he was confident the current majority will emerge as winner and will convey "the right message."
"The people know us and know the nature of our campaign and what kind of Lebanon we want. We want a Lebanon that is flourishing on the economic level and is stable on the level of security," he said.