Lebanese PM defends Special Tribunal

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has defended the Special Tribunal for Lebanon [STL], saying the process should be afforded more time in its “objective” pursuit of conflict resolution in the country. Prime Minister Mikati met with STL head Francois Roux, who praised the Lebanese authorities’ cooperation with the tribunal, a statement revealed. Cabinet sources told Arabstoday that the issue of handing over four Hezbollah suspects to the STL was not discussed in the meeting. The STL was tasked with investigating the assassination of late Lebanese leader Rafiq Hariri, which took place in 2005.