SECURITY COUNCIL PRESS STATEMENT ON SPECIAL TRIBUNAL FOR LEBANON

 

The following Security Council press statement on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon was read out today by Council President Ibrahim Dabbashi ( Libya):

The members of the Security Council welcomed the commencement of the functioning of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on 1 March 2009 in The Hague as an important step by Lebanon and the international community to bring to justice those responsible for the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and 22 others on 14 February 2005 and related cases, in conformity with the Statute of the Tribunal, and to end impunity in Lebanon.

The members of the Security Council commended the International Independent Investigation Commission for its extensive work, and welcomed Daniel Bellemare’s assumption of the Tribunal’s Office of the Prosecutor

The members of the Security Council commended as well the Secretary-General for his outstanding efforts, as described in his last report (document S/2009/106) on the implementation of resolution 1757 (2007), in undertaking, in coordination with the Government of Lebanon, the steps and measures necessary to establish the Special Tribunal.  They welcomed the Secretary-General’s reaffirmation of the unwavering commitment of the United Nations to the Tribunal’s mission as well as his continuing endeavour to ensure that the Special Tribunal will be able to achieve its mandate in the most effective manner, in conformity with resolution 1757 (2007).

The members of the Security Council reiterated their strong support for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and recalled its resolution 1852 (2008) which underlined the importance of the continuation of the full cooperation of Member States with the Office of the Prosecutor, in accordance with resolution 1757 (2007), in order to enable effective investigations and prosecutions.

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For information media • not an official record