Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Miqati Hinted on Thursday he might step down if the government failed to fund the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) probing the 2005 assassination of former PM Rafiq Hariri.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Miqati Hinted on Thursday he might step down if the government failed to fund the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) probing the 2005 assassination of former PM Rafiq Hariri.

“I will take a (proper) stance if the government fails to finance the STL but I hope things will not reach the extent of submitting my resignation,” Miqati said in an interview on LBC television.

“STL President David Baragwanath told me that we should pay the STL funds in December at the latest,” the PM said.
“Lebanon is committed to the international resolutions and I have committed myself to secure the funding in a constitutional manner and I have informed the parties concerned of that, including Speaker (Nabih) Berri,” Miqati noted.

Under the tribunal protocol, Lebanon should pay 49 percent as an annual share of funds.
However, many parties consider tribunal as illegal since the protocol was passed at a time a whole sect wasn’t represented at the cabinet.

The tribunal few months ago had accused four members of Hezbollah in Hariri’s murder.
For its part, Hezbollah firmly denied the accusation saying the STL aimed at dirtying the image of resistance.

Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah said it clear: “We will cut off the hand that would be extended to arrest any of our Mujahedeen”.