Miqati Insists on Meeting Lebanon’s Obligations Amid Resignation Rumors

Prime Minister Najib Miqati insists on funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon as an obligation towards the international community that should be met, the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat reported on Wednesday.

“The PM’s decision will be proposed to the cabinet at the right time, but the administrative mechanism began through the directions given to Justice Minister (Shakib Qortbawi) and Finance Minister (Mohammed al-Safadi),” Miqati’s sources told the daily.

Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas stressed on the importance of tackling the funding of the STL at the cabinet.

“The time has come to resolve the issue,” Nahhas, who is loyal to Miqati in the cabinet, told Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) on Wednesday.

He stressed that the cabinet members should seek consensus among each other over the issue.

Lebanon is responsible for meeting 49 percent of the costs of the U.N.-backed STL, which has charged four Hizbullah members in the February 14, 2005 assassination of ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 21 others.

But the government has yet to pay its share, estimated at $33 million for 2011, as international pressure mounts on Miqati to uphold his commitment to the STL.

Ministerial sources told the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat that Miqati insists on including the STL issue on the cabinet’s agenda for the session scheduled to be held on November 30 to force the members to tackle the issue.

The sources noted that the session will allow the cabinet to discuss the international and regional reaction if Miqati couldn’t convince Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement to fund the STL.

Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has openly opposed Lebanon paying its annual share.

The sources ruled out any attempt by the majority to postpone the session due to lack of quorum in order to thoroughly discuss the issue as the timeframe set for Lebanon to pay its dues ends on December 15.

Sources quoted Miqati as saying that he is keen not to jump to conclusions concerning his position.

Asked about the possibility of Miqati’s resignation if the cabinet voted against paying Lebanon’s dues, sources told Asharq al-Awsat that “it goes back to Miqati to take this decision.”

However, Nahhas stressed that any resignation depends on the circumstances, noting that Miqati only seeks to fulfill his duties.