Beirut (AsiaNews) – Pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1757, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon covering the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is being set up. The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has in fact communicated to the Security Council the names of the members of the selection panel. In a letter to the president of the Security Council Mr Ban has indicated his intention to appoint Mohammad Amin al-Mehdi, Erik Mese and Nicolas Michel as members of the selection panel for the judges and prosecutor.
The decision was taken on the basis of a document annexed to Security Council Resolution 1757, whereby the selection panel will be composed of two judges, currently sitting on or retired from an international tribunal, and a representative of the secretary general.
Mehdi is Egyptian and has formerly served on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Mese is from Norway and is currently serving on the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Michel is the United Nations undersecretary general for legal affairs.
The international tribunal will be made up of judges appointed by the secretary general upon the recommendation of the selection panel and the Lebanese government.
Syria has strenuously opposed the creation of the tribunal. But the current Lebanese government considers Damascus the main principal in the political murders that have taken place in the country since 2004.