U.N. Hails Progress in Setting up Tribunal Amid Boost in Funding

by **Admin** Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:13 am

The Security Council Thursday hailed "substantial progress" in efforts to set up the Special Tribunal for Lebanon as the U.N. legal chief said the court has enough funding to keep it running for a year.

In a statement issued after Undersecretary-General for Legal Affairs Nicolas Michel briefed the Council on plans for the tribunal, members urged U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon to pursue, in coordination with the Lebanese government, "measures necessary to establish the tribunal in a timely manner."

They noted "the substantial progress that has been made" and welcomed contributions and pledges received" for the international tribunal which is to be headquartered in The Netherlands.

Among the progress noted by the Council was also the appointment of the Prosecutor as well as the Registrar of the Special Tribunal, and the establishment of a management committee.

Michel said that as of Thursday, the U.N. had received $60.3 million from donor countries, surpassing the $50 million needed for the court's establishment and first year of operations.

The tribunal has so far received about $34 million of the promised funds, he added.

That removes one obstacle for the tribunal's final go-ahead by Ban — nearly a year after the Security Council voted to create it.

But the U.N. chief must also receive indications — though not concrete pledges — that the tribunal will have enough money for its second and third years.

He must also be satisfied with the progress made by a U.N. investigation into the Feb. 14, 2005 truck bombing that killed ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and 22 others.

Newly appointed Chief U.N. investigator Daniel Bellemare is expected to release his first report soon, and the Security Council will likely begin discussing it in early April, Michel said.

He said it would be up to Ban to decide when to set a date for the tribunal near The Hague to start proceedings because much depends on the status of the investigation.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Zalmay Khalilzad noted during the Council meeting that the amount so far deposited or pledged for the court "will cover more than the cost of starting (the tribunal) in the first year."

"We welcome the progress that has been made," the U.S. envoy said. "We think this is very important (for Lebanon), that the culture of impunity be brought to an end with regard to political assassinations."

His French counterpart Jean-Maurice Ripert again stressed the process of establishing the international court was not reversible.

"It has to be understood by everybody .... that the establishment of the tribunal will reinforce the fight against impunity and that it will reinforce the fight for re-establishing the rule of law and justice in Lebanon," he added.

The court will include a trial chamber made up of three judges -- two foreigners and one Lebanese and an appeals chamber of five judges -- two Lebanese and three foreigners.

U.N. investigators have identified several people who they say may have been involved in the Hariri slaying, but no one has been charged.

Once suspects have been charged, the court will swing into action.

The special tribunal is also to have jurisdiction over other attacks against anti-Syrian Lebanese figures if they are linked to the Hariri slaying.