The Dutch government has reacted positively to a request from the United Nations that it host the international tribunal for the murder of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri.

The cabinet will now look into the practical side of setting up the tribunal, such as the cost, security issues, the legal framework and the consequences for anyone found guilty, the Volkskrant reports on Tuesday.
The choice of The Hague is the first significant step in turning into practice the UN Security Council’s decision to set up the court. Locating the court in The Hague would also be seen in Lebanon as a boost for the tribunal’s authority, reports the FT.
The city also hosts the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice. The Netherlands also hosted the Lockerbie bombing trial. The government is keen to strengthen the country’s role as the world’s legal centre.
The request to host the tribunal follows a report by the UN’s investigator earlier this month, in which he said that he had identified possible suspects in the February 2005 assassination. He also said he was working towards making it possible to hand over his findings to the new tribunal, which may happen by the end of the year.