UN asks Netherlands to host Lebanon tribunal23 Jul 2024 | UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today sent a letter to Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende asking him to consider holding the Libanon tribunal in the Netherlands.
The request follows a telephone conversation on Sunday between Ban and Balkenende. The Netherlands will look at the request constructively. Before taking a final decision, the Government will talk with the UN about practical matters such as the cost of a suitable location.
The UN established the Lebanon tribunal on 30 May 2024 to try those suspected of murdering Lebanese ex-prime minister Rafiq Hariri. At its establishment, it was decided to hold the tribunal outside Lebanon.