The Lebanese daily Al-Mustaqbal has criticized Qatar for refraining to vote for Resolution No. 1757 in the U.N. Security Council. The resolution approves the establishment of an international tribunal for the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Al-Hariri.

The paper mocked Qatar for citing an objective approach in explaining its action. The paper said that no objective approach could be taken between an assassin and the victim.

A top Syrian official said that his country had not changed its position on the tribunal, and that the tribunal's establishment based on Chapter 7 of the U.N. charter damages Lebanese sovereignty and is likely to further the deterioration in that country.

In the same vein, the Syrian government papers also warned of the resolution's ramifications for the domestic Lebanese arena.

Sources: Al-Mustaqbal, Lebanon; Al-Thawra, Syria; Teshreen, Syria, all May 31, 2007