 US Ambassador John Bolton said on Tuesday the assassination of a Lebanese Cabinet minister and vocal critic of Syria showed the need for quick agreement on creation of an international court for Lebanon. Bolton also hinted at Syrian involvement in the killing of Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel by gunmen who opened fire on his convoy near Beirut.
| Mysterious gunmen. Gunmen who have disappeared like the wind... |
He pointed to a string of recent assassinations of anti-Syrian political figures in Lebanon following the February 2005 murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri after Hariri spoke out against Syria's domination of Lebanon. "I think the facts need to be developed, but if you look at ... the evidence that links the Hariri assassination to the other political assassinations, I think people can draw their own conclusions," he said.
Bolton strongly disagreed when asked by a reporter whether council approval of the tribunal plan might feed instability in Lebanon, as some council members had argued. "How incredibly wrong that would be," he said. "Instability? They are killing people in Lebanon, they are assassinating political leaders. Not the time to seek justice? There may be those on the Security Council who say it. Let them step forward and say it." | Nice one John. Heh, stability. Right. |
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