US pledges $5m towards UN-backed Lebanon tribunal

US pledges $5m towards UN-backed Lebanon tribunal
Saturday, 29 September, 2007 @ 7:53 AM


Beirut / NY- The US has pledged $5m towards the UN-backed tribunal set
up to try suspects in the 2005 murder of Lebanese ex-Prime Minister
Rafik Hariri and other anti-Syrian leaders.

The US ambassador to the UN said the money reflected Washington's
commitment to "the process of accountability for political murders" in
Lebanon.
The court is to be based in the Netherlands. No suspects have so far
been named in Mr Hariri's killing.

An initial UN inquiry suggested Syria played a role - a claim it
denies.

The tribunal was set up by a UN Security Council vote in May, and is
expected to start work next year.

Its budget over a three-year period has been estimated at $120m. half
of the funding comes from the Lebanese government.

In his September 5 report to the Security Council, Ban said the
tribunal would not be established until the U.N. had an estimated $35
million to fund its operations through the first year, as well as an
additional $85 million in pledges to pay for the following two years.

His report estimated the budget on the assumption the tribunal would
have a staff of more than 400 people.

Hariri and 22 other people died in a huge car bombing in Beirut in
2005.

Announcing Washington's contribution to the tribunal, US Ambassador to
the UN Zalmay Khalilzad said there should be "no impunity for
political assassinations".

Picture: A poster of Hariri that translates into " The tribunal is for
the sake of ( justice in ) Lebanon"


Sources: BBC, Ya Libnan

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