UN envoy met with Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri

[News_Editor]

UN envoy met with Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri

2011-01-21 07:03:26 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- Michael Williams, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, on Thursday met Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri in order to discuss prospects for new government.

"Restoring political stability and achieving a new Lebanese government is possible if all parties are willing to cooperate towards that end," said UN envoy Williams.

The meeting took place just over a week after the collapse of the government of national unity. Eleven 11 cabinet ministers from Hezbollah resigned after months of negotiations brokered by Saudi Arabia and Syria failed to produce a compromise over the UN-backed tribunal.

The Hezbollah ministers and Hariri's government had differences over the UN-backed tribunal set up to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

The two officials also discussed the prospect for achieving a new government as well as the initiatives Turkey and Qatar presented Lebanon aimed at restoring political stability.

"I believe that that is possible, provided that there is goodwill and cooperation of all political parties in working for justice as well as stability," added special coordinator Williams.

The UN envoy also called for calm and order during this period of political divisions in the country. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also urged restraint to all parties last Tuesday as well as reiterating his support to the special tribunal.

On Monday, prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Daniel Bellemare, submitted the first indictment and supporting materials to the court, which is based in the Netherlands.

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