Hague Likely Host For Lebanon Trial

Case Involves 2005 Hariri Assassination

PARIS, Aug. 17 -- Responding to a U.N. request, the Netherlands is prepared to host the trial of suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri, the Dutch Foreign Ministry said Friday.

"I am working under the premise that the tribunal will be in The Hague," Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen told Dutch radio. "Obviously we have to sort out some practical matters first, like financing and where possible convicts will go to serve their sentences."

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon asked the Dutch government to allow proceedings in the Netherlands out of concern that the trial could destabilize Lebanon if it was held there.

In the past year, controversy over the trial has set off riots in Lebanon and has threatened the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

Four pro-Syrian Lebanese generals have been arrested in connection with the massive truck bombing that killed Hariri and 22 other people in February 2005. Detlev Mehlis, who led a U.N. investigation of the killing, said evidence suggested that Syrian and Lebanese intelligence services were involved.

Syria has denied any involvement in the bombing and opposes a U.N. tribunal. Debate over the trial has exacerbated political tensions between the Western-backed Siniora government and the Syrian-backed opposition led by Hezbollah. Earlier this summer, the conflict fueled violent street battles.

The Hague is the site of the world's main international courts including the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

In addition, the Dutch government is providing court and prison facilities for the special court that is trying former Liberian president Charles Taylor in connection with atrocities committed during the 1991-2002 civil war in Sierra Leone. The Special Court for Sierra Leone is headquartered in that country and is holding other trials there, but the Taylor trial was considered too politically sensitive to conduct in Africa.

Dutch Foreign Ministry spokesman Bart Rijs said by telephone Friday that officials are attempting to settle financing and other details of the trial in the Hariri case.

The Dutch government refuses to allow Taylor to serve his sentence in the Netherlands, and Rijs said the same condition would apply to the Hariri assassination suspects.

"The government feels the Dutch are taking their responsibility if they host the tribunal, so others have to do so as well," Rijs said.

The costs of courtrooms, security and incarceration during international trials are extraordinarily high, Rijs said. Financing for the tribunal proceedings, such as salaries for judges and lawyers, will come from Lebanon and voluntary contributions from U.N. member states, but Rijs said payments for the courtroom and security have not yet been determined.