UN chief calls on Lebanon to 'maintain calm'
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UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon advocates calm in Lebanon as the government is restructured, and he remains a strong supporter of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters here on Tuesday.
"The secretary-general calls on all the parties to maintain calm and avoid any act of violence, and he welcomes the statement issued by caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri urging calm," Nesirky said in response to questions from reporters.
Lebanon's coalition government collapsed on Jan. 12 with the resignation of ministers from Hezbollah, who left due to their objections to the STL, believing it would indict Hezbollah members allegedly involved in the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri and others.
Najib Mikati, the new prime minister-designate supported by Hezbollah, is expected to form a new government, even as Saad Hariri's supporters took to the streets to protest Mikati's designation.
Nesirky reported that in spite of political turmoil, the secretary-general said he expects any new government formed in Lebanon to follow its "international obligations" by allowing the UN tribunal to complete its work.
"The secretary-general strongly supports the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is an independent judicial body," Nesirky said. "The work of the Special Tribunal should be unaffected by political developments."
He added that the secretary-general is "following developments closely" in Lebanon as they occur.
