Lebanon “in Race against Time” before STL Indictment

01/12/2010 Time is running in Lebanon before the “awaited” indictment in former premier Rafiq Hariri’s assassination will be released. As Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem says that Prime Minister Saad Hariri bears a special responsibility to resolve tensions and preserve Lebanon’s stability, the Saudi-Syrian efforts to defuse tensions are ongoing with information that a hoped visit by the Saudi Prince Abdel Aziz bin Abdulla to Damascus is going to take place “before Friday”.

In an interview with the Lebanese daily Sada al-Balad set to be published on Wednesday, Sheikh Qassem said that Hariri “knows the suitable ways to stop this farce of accusation against Hezbollah,” adding “we are not asking for a statement from Hariri, but for action.”

Indications suggest that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) will issue its indictment “very soon” and Syrian-Saudi efforts to reach a compromise are in a “race against time,” he said.

“We are not discussing the issue of an indictment, but rather a conspiratorial step against Hezbollah. We cannot deal with the matter naively as some are attempting.”
“All possibilities are open,” Qassem said of potential developments after the indictment.

Meanwhile, Al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Wednesday it was hoped that Saudi Prince Abdel Aziz bin Abdullah would head to Damascus “before next Friday.”
“His visit would be part of the continuing Saudi-Syrian efforts to resolve Lebanese tensions,” the paper quoted an anonymous source as saying.
The daily also quoted an anonymous Syrian source as saying that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s (STL) “path and procedural rules” must be corrected but it does not need to be abolished.

For his part, Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awad Assiri urged all the Lebanese to return to the cabinet and national dialogue tables, because imported [solutions] do not last long,” adding that Saudi Arabia ”is not linking their efforts to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) indictment’s issuance.”
“Lebanon’s arena must be fortified, and the STL indictment’s results must be dealt with in wisdom.”

On the other hand the Lebanese daily an-Nahar reported on Wednesday that President Michel Sleiman has made appointments to meet on Wednesday different political figures, adding that the President “is seeking an exit from the political and institutional freeze.”
Sleiman has made appointments to meet Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel, former Prime Minister Najib Miqati, Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, Loyalty to the Resistance bloc leader MP Mohammad Raad, and Marada Movement leader MP Sleiman Frangieh, an-Nahar newspaper reported, adding he has also invited other members of the national dialogue to meet with him this week.

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