UN Undersecretary General for Legal Affairs Nicolas Michel said he "had fruitful consultations" with Lebanon's top officials on Friday, adding that he is "determined to inform [UN Secretary General Kofi] Annan immediately of their results." Michel, who arrived in Beirut Thursday, met Friday with President Emile Lahoud, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Speaker Nabih Berri, Justice Minister Charles Rizk and Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh to discuss the nature of the court that would try those accused of killing former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.According to a presidential statement issued Friday, Michel briefed Lahoud on the nature of his mission in Lebanon, saying he was assigned by Annan to confer with Lebanese officials on the nature of the court. After his meeting with Siniora, Michel, who was accompanied by a UN delegation, said: "The conversations today were especially rich and will help us steer our work in the next few days; but we have to say that our Lebanese friends will have to help us in steering this thinking in the next few days." He added: "I am determined to tell Annan immediately of the results of my consultations, and after that we will continue to think in all directions."
Michel also said that he will respect the secrecy of the meetings and discussions. "All I can tell you is that the consultations will not be successful unless the Lebanese people - and not only its officials - consider that this consensus, [about the form of the court], relates to them," the UN official said.