Britain Urges Lebanon to Honor International Tribunal Obligations
British Prime Minister David Cameron has urged Lebanon to honor its obligations to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon stressing London’s support for Lebanese sovereignty.
During talks with Premier Najib Miqati on Monday, Cameron stressed the importance of the full implementation of U.N. Security Council resolution 1701 and said Lebanon and the UK are partners.
Miqati’s press office quoted Cameron as saying that Lebanon should abide by its commitments to the STL after the U.S. and France warned that bilateral ties with Lebanon would be affected if Beirut failed to fund the tribunal.
He also announced support for the sovereignty, stability and independence of Lebanon.
Miqati in his turn stressed the importance of Lebanon’s respect for international resolutions, mainly 1701, the statement said.
He said that the issue of the STL funding would be discussed by the cabinet to take the appropriate decision.
Discussions also focused on the situation in Syria. Miqati told Cameron that Lebanon should distance itself from the events in the neighboring country.
However, the British PM stressed that Lebanon has a major role to play in the Arab Spring in terms of the spread of the Lebanese democratic experience throughout the Arab world.
Asked by reporters about military assistance, Miqati said he informed Cameron about the needs of the Lebanese Armed Forces.
In remarks to Lebanese personalities ahead of his talks with Cameron, the premier stressed “the need to fully cooperate with international resolutions including 1757” that established the STL.
“We can’t be selective in asking the international community, the Security Council and the U.N. to support the full implementation of 1701 in southern Lebanon and at the same time say that we don’t want to implement another resolution,” he said.
“I am sure that the cabinet will be at the level of responsibility” when the STL funding is put up for discussion, Miqati said.
The Lebanese PM is scheduled to hold talks with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Tuesday.
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