Hariri panel is coming, says French foreign minister

Beirut: France's new foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, said that Paris would continue to snub Syria because it did not believe Damascus respected Lebanon's autonomy.

Speaking during a visit to Lebanon, Kouchner told Europe 1
radio on Friday that French foreign policy in the region would reflect that of the previous president, Jacques Chirac, who left office earlier this month and was close to the Lebanese government.

"We are ready to talk with all personalities and
representatives of groups who are in favour of Lebanon's unity, its autonomy and its territorial integrity," Kouchner said.

"This clearly means we don't have to talk to Syrian
leaders," he said, adding that France might be ready to resume contact as soon as the Syrian position on Lebanon changed.

Earlier on Thursday, Kouchner said the international community was determined to form an international tribunal to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

"The international community will never accept threats and
terrorism, and we are determined to vote at the (UN) Security Council a resolution to establish the international tribunal," he told reporters.

A draft put forward by the united states, france and britain to
set up the proposed court to hear the Hariri case is currently before the 15-member Council. No date has been set for a vote.

The issue of the tribunal has escalated the division in the
country between anti-and pro-Syrian groups.

Kouchner's trip to Lebanon was his first visit outside
Europe since his surprise appointment by President Nicolas
Sarkozy last week, sending a clear signal that France intended to keep close ties to its former colony.

His trip also coincided with Lebanon's worst internal
violence since the 1975-1990 civil war with the army fighting a
militant group, Fatah Al Islam, in the north of the country.

Asked if Syria represented a "threat" for Lebanon, Kouchner
said: "(The threat) comes especially from that side, but it also
comes from other directions in a region, that as you know, will never find peace until the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is
peacefully resolved."

He added that Iran was also influencing the situation as was
the "chaos" in Iraq.