MTV: Syria asked its allies to delay cabinet formation

Well-informed sources in The Hague told MTV that the STL indictment is likely to be issued in late February, noting that its content is expected to remain confidential.

In a related development political sources told MTV that the impending release of the STL indictment has prompted Syria to ask its allies to delay forming a new cabinet in order to contain the impact.

Nagib Mikati, backed Hezbollah and its March 8 allies including MPS Walid Jumblatt and Mohammad Safadi, was appointed by president Michel Suleiman as PM-designate to form and head the next cabinet , giving Hezbollah and its allies increased leverage in the country and provoking widespread protests.

The Iranian- and Syria-backed Hezbollah brought down Hariri’s government on January 12 over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s ( STL) indictment which is widely expected to implicate Hezbollah members in the assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri in 2005 .

Mikati held two days of talks with parliamentary groups on forming his government last week with the Hariri camp still refusing to join his administration.

Sherif Ahmad a Lebanese observer told Ya Libnan ” even though the focus right now is on Hezbollah, the Syrian security officials could very well be indicted too by STL because at the time the assassination took place Lebanon was occupied by Syria “