Progress seen in forming UN tribunal into Hariri murder

Wrapping up a two-day visit to Beirut, Under Secretary General for Legal Affairs Nicolas Michel said Friday meetings with Lebanese officials constituted an "important step toward the adoption of a legal basis for the establishment of a tribunal."

He concurred with comments by Justice Minister Charles Rizk on Thursday that a UN proposal for a tribunal needed clarification before a final version is adopted.

"We have identified ... a very limited number of issues for further clarification in the near future," Michel said. "Our work is still in progress, but the progress has been rapid and susbtantial in recent months."

He declined to say what issues were still outstanding, or to say when they might be resolved.

Hariri was assassinated on February 14, 2005 in a massive bomb blast on the Beirut seafront that also killed 22 others.

A UN probe, which is still underway, has implicated senior officials from Syria, which for decades was the power broker in its smaller neighbor. Damascus strongly denies any connection with the killing.

Rizk said Thursday the idea was for the tribunal to be composed of two chambers.

The first, a trial court, would have a panel of three judges, one of whom would be Lebanese. The second, an appeals court, would have five judges, including two Lebanese.

He also said there was a "national consensus" on forming an international tribunal.

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