Columnist Emile Khoury noted that "it has become clear that Syria doesn't want the holding of presidential elections until it guarantees the one-third blocking share for its allies in the forthcoming cabinet."
If such a condition is met, Syria "would rest assured regarding the course of the international tribunal," Khoury wrote.
He explained that Syria is "worried that the international tribunal might target big heads (in Damascus), and nothing can assure the regime regarding this concern except maintained void or a cabinet in which Syria's allies control a one-third blocking share."
The writer cautioned that void, if maintained for a long time, might lead to security problems, though limited, in addition to other acts of violence, including bomb blasts and assassinations.
The time frame for such acts of violence and crimes is related to the date set for the international tribunal to start its mission of trying suspects in the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri and related crimes.
The tribunal would be in session as of April, and the charge sheet would be released in March "that is why Syria is trying its best to delay the presidential election for the longest possible period," Khoury wrote.
Such worries "led Syria to interfere in the presidential election in a sort of race against the international tribunal," he added.
Khoury concluded that "Lebanon, during this period, could witness … a new series of assassinations and explosions carried out by an organized network that had been mentioned in the last report by U.N. investigator Serge Brammertz."
Picture: Some of the assassinated Lebanese leaders . They are from top right counterclockwise
Former PM Rafik Hariri, former president Rene Mouawad, former minister Dany Chamoun , former president Bashir Gemayel, former leader Kamal Jumblatt, former minister Bassil Fleihan, former An Nahar columnist Samir Kassir, former communist party leader George Hawi, former An Nahar managing Director and MP Gibran Tueini and former Industry minister and MP Pierre Gemayel.
Syria was blamed for all the assassinations but it denies any involvement .
Sources: Naharnet
Tags: Brammertz, Chamoun, Fleihan, Gemayel, George Hawi, Hariri, Jumblatt, kassir, Lebanon, Mouawad, Syria, Tribunal, Tueini, UN
