Al Akhbar: Hariri Urged Sarkozy to Delay STL Indictment

Local Editor

Al Akhbar newspaper reported that PM Saad Hariri discussed the indictment issue with French President Nicola Sarkozy last week, asking him to urge the Special Tribunal for Lebanon's (STL) Prosecutor, Daniel Bellemare, to consider what Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah presented.

Hariri believed that this would help preserve the STL's credibility and affect in this case after it turned into a battle for public opinion.

The daily added that as soon as he came back, PM Hariri called upon his supporters not to raise the STL issue because he will be the one responsible for announcing the stances at a suitable time.

On the other hand, he discussed the issue in a private meeting with Hizbullah SG Political Advisor Hussein Khalil, where he asked Hizbullah to present its evidences and data that accuse "Israel", to the Lebanese judiciary.

Hizbullah accepted the request and presented a copy of its mentioned data to the state prosecutor Saeed Mirza.