 The top U.N. lawyer virtually ruled out on Thursday the idea that a special court to try suspects in the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri could be located inside Lebanon. "There is a broad perception that for the tribunal to effectively perform what is expected, it is extremely difficult that it would be located on the territory of Lebanon," said U.N. Legal Counsel Nicolas Michel. A number of factors would be taken into account in deciding the court's location, he said, including "security of the judges, of the witnesses, of the accused and the perceived impartiality of the tribunal."
| Yeah, we'd probably lose count of the number of exploding cars within a week... |
Michel spoke to reporters after briefing the Security Council on the state of planning for the new tribunal. The 15-nation council may vote next Wednesday on a resolution authorizing U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to begin formal negotiations with Beirut on establishment of the court, Argentine Ambassador Cesar Mayoral, the council president for March, told Reuters. |