A couple of days after the long awaited UN probe team's report into the murder of Premier Rafik Hariri, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said he had "no prior knowledge of anything that was in the report." In an interview with Al-Arabiyya television station on Sunday, Siniora denied having known from Mehlis who was involved in the assassination. He said he did know about any of the people Mehlis "accuses in the report or whom he considers suspects. I am keen on the independence of Mehlis' work, and the independence of the judiciary."Asked about the censored report and the report given to the Security Council and if there are any doubts about the censored one, Siniora said: "We have to make it clear to people, because they are thinking there are two reports. The truth is there are two different paragraphs in the report. There were names in the confidential report, paragraph 96, while in the ordinary report, the names were removed."
Siniora added that he personally believes President Emile Lahoud should resign. "I have said this in more than one occasion. It would be beneficial for Lebanon and for the President. But this decision is his to take."
| I think that when Emil eventually leaves it's going to be in the dead of night, maybe with only the clothes on his back. The customary exile in Gay Paree might not even be available if the Frenchies have a warrant out for him. Tripoli or Harare might be the best he can do. |