Adoum: Government has the Right to Suspend UNSC Resolution 1757 to Avoid Internal Conflict

Local Editor

Former Minister of Justice Adnan Adoum referred that because of the civil conflict triggered through the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, threatening the Lebanese national security, legal solutions should be sought in deciding to suspend resolution 1757 (2007).

Adoum said that resolution 1757 should be suspended by the UN Security Council (UNSC), and resolution 1664 should be implemented, adding that the bilateral agreement to establish the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) should also be suspended.

According to Lebanese daily As-Safir, Adoum stated the legal reason behind why the resolution 1757 should be suspended, and thus the suspension of the STL.

On this level, Adoum referred that on December 13 2005, Lebanon's then PM Foad Seniora requested from UN Secretary General to establish a tribunal of international characteristics to investigate those responsible for PM Rafiq Hariri's assassination.

After this request, the UNSC issued on March 29 2006 resolution number 1664 (2006), which stated the establishment of a Lebanese tribunal of international characteristics.

On another hand, Adoum believed that the issuance of resolution 1757 violates the UN convention, international laws, and Lebanese constitution.

Furthermore, former Minister Adnan Adoum clarified that the UNSC has a discretionary power, depending whether the problem talked represents a threat of peace, according to article 39 in the UN convention.

Adoum further clarified that the issuance of resolution 1757 caused a severe situation in Lebanon, due to the current disputes in Lebanon between all parties of the constitutional institutions, over the illegality and unconstitutionality of the STL.

Adnan Adoum stressed that the UNSC -through its resolution 1757- has interfered in the Lebanese internal affairs, also was bias to some governmental political figures and parties.

In this context, Adoum added that the bilateral agreement between then Lebanese PM and the UNSC was sealed by the government, although it knows that this is incompatible with the Lebanese constitution, that should be followed in case of international agreement.

Adoum stressed that by that, the UNSC has violated the UN Convention, especially paragraph 7, which states that all parties should respect the sovereignty and constitutions of member states, in addition to not interfering in its internal issues.

Former Justice Minister Adnan Adoum stressed that it is the Lebanese's government's duty, in order to avoid any civil peace and security threat, to request the suspension of resolution 1757 from the UNSC.

The government should then ask for the issuance of a new resolution that cancels the effects of resolution 1757, and suspends the bilateral agreement, which merely represents legal and constitutional flaws.

Adnan Adoum further affirmed that the STL should be suspended, and the implementation of resolution 1664 should be reaffirmed.