A Saudi-Syrian initiative to ease political tensions in Lebanon ahead of the release of a report by an international tribunal on the 2005 assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri is bearing fruit, a western diplomatic source said Wednesday.
Amid widespread speculation that the report by the United Nations Special Tribunal (STL) will name various Syrian and Hezbollah members, reigniting hostilities in Lebanon between rival Shiite and Sunni Muslims, an attempt at pre-emptive mediation is well underway, according to the source.
"The Saudi-Syrian mediation efforts have been fruitful and the final results will be announced soon," the Beirut source told the German Press Agency dpa. The source added that a high-ranking Saudi official is due to arrive in Beirut in the coming days to meet with Lebanese officials to brief them on the "expected solution." One rumour is that the compromise will be for Lebanon to withdraw official support for the tribunal.
A Lebanese judicial source said "Lebanon cannot abolish the UN tribunal at this stage - but Lebanon can withdraw its backing for the UN tribunal, saying that the court is being politicised and this might jeopardise the internal situation in the country." "This might be one of the scenarios the Syrian and Saudi officials are working on," the source said without elaborating.