[JURIST] Former Lebanese president Amin Gemayel [Wikipedia profile] has urged the Lebanese National Assembly [official website] to ratify a UN-approved agreement [JURIST report] that would create an international tribunal [JURIST news archive] to try suspects accused of assassinating former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri [official website; JURIST news archive]. The controversial agreement, supported by Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora [BBC profile] but opposed [JURIST comment] by pro-Syrian Lebanese President Emile Lahoud [official profile], has been a source of major disagreement in Lebanon's deeply sectarian political arena. The pro-Syrian speaker of the National Assembly, Nabih Berri [official profile], opposes the Hariri tribunal and has refused to convene the assembly to prevent ratification.

In November, the Lebanese cabinet approved a draft plan [JURIST report] despite the resignation of all six pro-Syrian members from the militant Hezbollah and Amal movement [party websites, in Arabic]. In the same month, the UN Security Council approved a request [JURIST report] from Siniora for the UN International Independent Investigation Commission [Security Council Resolution 1595 text; materials] to also investigate the murder of Gemayel's son, Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel. Pierre Gemayel was a vocal critic of Syrian intervention in Lebanese affairs. AP has more.