STL Acquired Funds for its Budget, but that Doesn’t Exempt Lebanon from its Obligations

The spokesman of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Marten Youssef revealed that the tribunal has acquired all the funds needed for the budget of its third year in functioning, adding that some 30 different countries have contributed to it.

He told As Safir newspaper in remarks published on Saturday that this does not mean that Lebanon is exempt from meeting its obligations to the STL.

Meanwhile, an official source from the STL told the newspaper that it would not be in the tribunal’s best interest to become embroiled in a dispute with the Lebanese government over the court.

It should not be pushed towards the “point of no return”, but should be encouraged to launch negotiations of partnership with the United Nations in order to reach national unity over the STL.

In a related development, An Nahar daily reported on Saturday that Finance Minister Mohammed al-Safadi has requested an advance from the government in order to fund the STL.

It remains to be seen whether this issue will be placed on cabinet’s agenda scheduled to be held on Friday, it added.

A diplomatic source has meanwhile told the daily that “as of January, not a single euro will remain in the STL’s fund if Lebanon does not meet its commitment to fund the tribunal.”

Lebanon is obligated to provide 49 percent of the STL’s budget.

Should Lebanon fail to meet its pledges, then the United Nations Security Council will have to tackle this matter, it stressed.

One of Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s sources told al-Liwaa newspaper in remarks published on Saturday that the issue of the funding of the tribunal may be tackled during Friday’s cabinet session.

It noted that the possible cabinet discussions will take place two days before a Mustaqbal movement rally under the title of toppling the government.

Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas told al-Liwaa that the funding of the tribunal is under serious discussion “and a final decision on this issue will be taken soon.”