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STL Defense Chief Tells 'Fugitives' to Get Lawyer‎

Francois Roux, the head of the Defense Office of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, urged Tuesday four Hizbullah members indicted in the 2005 assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri to quickly consult a lawyer.

Those wanted by the STL, which last week handed Lebanese authorities four arrest warrants for the Hariri murder, are now fugitives from international law, Roux noted.

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March 8 Approves of Comprehensive Policy Statement: All Lebanese Want Justice and the Truth

MP Fadi al-Aawar noted on Tuesday that the Lebanese have uncovered the truth in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rashid Karami and the head of the National Liberal Party Dany Shamoun, but justice was not achieved.

He said during the parliament session to discuss the government policy statement: “All the Lebanese want justice and the truth.”

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Ammar to March 14: You are Not Our Enemies, But the Americans and Israelis are

Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Ali Ammar stressed on Tuesday that the Americans and Israelis are Lebanon’s only enemies, reassuring the March 14 camp that they are not considered as enemies of the March 8 camp.

He said during the parliament session aimed at discussing the cabinet’s policy statement: “The American enemy created strife in Lebanon and the Arab world.”

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Hizbullah Unveils New Documents on Alleged Transfer of IT Equipment to Israel

Hizbullah has provided alleged proof and further details on documents revealing that U.N. investigators have transferred IT equipment to Israel through a loaded container.

On Saturday, al-Manar TV showed a document that the investigators probing ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s assassination allegedly transferred the equipment when they moved their staff to the Netherlands in 2009.

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Mustaqbal MPs: Cabinet Pointed its Sword at International Community

Mustaqbal bloc MP Hadi Hobeish slammed the policy statement of the new cabinet led by PM Najib Miqati, wondering if it was formed to “ignite fire as demonstrated by its policy statement.”

“Finally it was born… But I wish it wasn’t,” he said during policy statement discussions in parliament on Tuesday.

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Hamadeh: We Demand that STL Clause in Policy Statement Be Immediately Amended

March 14 MP Marwan Hamadeh demanded on Tuesday Prime Minister Najib Miqati to amend the clause on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in the government policy statement and return to the national charter and the Doha Accord.

He said during the parliament session aimed at discussing the government’s policy statement: “The term of ‘in principle’ should be dropped from the statement because it means that the truth will be abandoned.”

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Army Out in Force to Preserve Stability During Parliamentary Sessions

The Lebanese army was out in force in and around Beirut on Tuesday ahead of a three-day parliamentary session aimed at discussing the cabinet’s policy statement.

As Safir daily said that the “series of preventive security and military measures” were taken when the Special Tribunal for Lebanon issued the indictment in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s murder case on Thursday.

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Ban Praises Miqati’s Commitment to International Resolutions

U.N. Chief Ban Ki-moon praised Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s commitment to the international resolutions, al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Ban sent a message to Miqati through Lebanon's Special Envoy to the U.N. Nawaf Salam welcoming the Premiership’s commitment to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Security Council resolution 1701 and all the other resolutions.

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Parliament Session Kicks off as March 8, 14 are Expected to Rattle Sabers Over STL Clause

The March 8 and 14 forces are expected to rattle sabers at the parliament on Tuesday following a series of accusations between the two camps on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon that will try ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s suspected assassins.

The lawmakers of both sides are scheduled to confront each other head-on in parliament for three days during sessions aimed at discussing the cabinet’s policy statement, on which Premier Najib Miqati’s government will seek the legislature’s vote of confidence.

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Russia Says STL Must Help Lebanon’s Stability, Boost Democracy

The Russian foreign ministry said that it will hold onto its stance calling for revealing the truth behind the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and “punishing the guilty.”

“Russia has offered its support to the international tribunal since its establishment” in 2007, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday.

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