CAIRO: In Lebanon, a bargaining maneuver at the ministerial level combined with artful budget politics to finally save the nation's cabinet from collapsing, while at the same time avoiding international sanctions. The question over the transfer of funds to the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) had deadlocked the cabinet for weeks. By international commitment, Lebanon is obliged to pay its share of about US $33 million, or 49 percent of the costs for the tribunal probing the assassination of ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on 14 February 2005. The STF issued warrants on four people affiliated with Hezbollah on June 30, 2011, which have not been enforced yet, but have further polarized the political fractions. In the wake of the funding discussions and the stalemate of the government's daily business, the Change and Reform bloc ministers, loyal to Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, threatened to resign over the alleged bad performance of the government. Finally then, last week, Lebanese Prime minister Najib Miqati threatened to resign if the cabinet failed to approve the payment of the funding to the STL. Although Miqati came to power with the backing of Hezbollah and its allies who fiercely oppose the tribunal which they see as foreign intervention into Lebanon's domestic politics, the prime minister called for Lebanon keep its commitment to international obligations which he stressed was a precondition for the country's stability. The international community on the other hand had threatened with sanctions, if Lebanon did not pay its share. In ending the deadlock, Miqati said that he had transferred the funding on Wednesday morning. He emphasized that “My insistence on funding the STL emanates from my keenness on protecting Lebanon, the people, the army and the resistance.” The prime minister was keen at stressing that the funding didn't constitute a victory over the Change and Reform Block, but rather a national decision “aimed at safeguarding Lebanon.” However, the newspaper “Al-Akhbar” quoted Aoun in asserting that the Change and Reform bloc has not changed its opposition to the financing of the STL. But he was also quoted that the bloc has received positive indications from Miqati regarding ministerial demands, such as the appointments of his bloc to positions traditionally earmarked for Christian candidates, including the presidency of the Higher Judicial Council. In order to avoid the need for the Change and Reform bloc's approval for funding, Miqati apparently drew the US $ 33 million in funds from the prime minister office's budget, which does not need governmental approval, according to inquiries made by the “as-Safir” Lebanese daily. Owing to this swift move, the Council of Ministers did not finance the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and most importantly the cabinet remained intact. BM
