World News Story

08 January 2009 01:43 BST

UN to investigate Lebanese murder

The United Nations (UN) security council has agreed to a request from Lebanon's prime minister to help investigate the assassination of the country's industry minister Pierre Gemayel.

Fouad Siniora's request for assistance comes amid growing political tension in the region following the death of the Christian politician, who was shot dead by gunmen in a car on a street in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on Tuesday.

The assassination of the 34-year-old anti-Syrian figure came after the Lebanese cabinet voted to tentatively endorse UN plans to establish a tribunal investigating last year's killing of then Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.

Following Mr Gemayel's death on Tuesday the UN pressed ahead with proposals to establish an international court to try those suspected of involvement in the 2005 killing, which forced Syrian troops to pull out of the region after 29 years. The court will also examine 14 other related cases.

Tuesday's assassination, which came just months following the end of this summer's conflict between Israel and the Islamic militant group Hizbullah in Lebanon, has sparked further tension between the anti-Syrian Lebanese government and the pro-Damascus opposition, which is led by Hizbullah and sees the Beirut administration as being too close to the west.

Anti-Syrian politicians, who form the bulk of the Lebanese cabinet, have expressed concern that Mr Gemayel's killing represented a Damascus-backed attempt to bring down Mr Siniora's government and to derail the UN's plans, which must now be formally approved by Lebanon's entire parliament.

Those politicians who support Syria, which denies involvement in the deaths of both Mr Gemayel and former Lebanese premier Mr Hariri, are against the creation of a special court to bring those responsible for the killings to justice, with the resignation of six government ministers ahead of Tuesday's assassination seen as an attempt to block the investigation.

Mr Gemayel's killing has now plunged Lebanon deeper into a political crisis, with the country's government aware that the death or resignation of two further cabinet ministers would be enough to bring the current administration down.

The UN's decision to back Mr Siniora's request for assistance in identifying Mr Gemayel's killers came after UN secretary general Kofi Annan told reporters in New York that he was "extremely worried" about the situation in Lebanon, which he said he had discussed with the country's prime minister.

"I have called leaders in the region, including Syria and Iran, to work with the parties to ensure that there is unity and stability in Lebanon, and to encourage patience on all sides," Mr Annan said.

Amid widespread international condemnation of Mr Gemayel's assassination, the United States welcomed the UN's decision to investigate the murder, with the country's ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, calling for the probe to take place "as rapidly as possible, while the crime scene evidence is still fresh and before obstruction of justice can take place".

Meanwhile, supporters of Phalange party member Mr Gemayel have called for a strong turnout at his funeral, which will take place today and mark the death of the fifth anti-Syrian figure killed in Lebanon within the past two years.