By Deirdre Tynan

September 20, 2007: United Nations, New York. The United Nations has reacted angrily to the murder of a Lebanese politician and is preparing for a series of high level meetings and debates to focus on the Middle East.

Antoine Ghanim, a member of the anti-Syrian Maronite Phalange party, and at least eight others, died when his car exploded in a Christian suburb of Beirut Wednesday, September 19, just days before the election of a new president in the troubled state.

French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert, President of the Security Council, said the bombing was an attempt to interfere with the Lebanese political process. “The Security Council condemns this new bombing as an attempt to destabilize Lebanon in this very crucial period,” he said.

Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon urged, “All Lebanese to exercise utmost calm and restraint at this very critical time and to allow judicial procedures to take their course. Such acts of terrorism aim at undermining Lebanon’s stability and are unacceptable.” Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora immediately called for the UN to investigate the assassination of Ghanim.

A 2005 UN report implicated Syria in the murder of Hariri, and anti-Syrian parties in Lebanon have been quick to blame Damascus for Ghanim’s death.

However Syria said, “This criminal act targeted the attempts and efforts made by Syria and others to achieve Lebanese national understanding.” Syria has denied any involvement in a series of political murders in recent years.

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon is nearing the selection phase of trial judges and is expected to open in the Netherlands next year. It has been set up to prosecute those responsible for the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was killed along with 22 others in a massive car bombing in downtown Beirut.

Once it is formally established, it will be at the court’s discretion to include other political killings in Lebanon if it believes they were connected to Mr. Hariri’s assassination.

Under Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Nicolas Michel said the Tribunal will cost $35 million to run in its first 12 months, followed by $45 million in its second year, and $40 million in its third year. Between 415 and 430 posts are expected to be needed to staff the court. Fifty one percent of the costs of the Tribunal will be met by voluntary contributions from UN member states, with the remaining 49 percent to be funded by the Lebanese government.

The Middle East is set to remain high on the agenda of the UN’s 62nd General Assembly which opened this week in New York.

Along with the Lebanese murder, Secretary General Ban had to ask on Wednesday Israel to not to cut food and fuel to the Gaza Strip lest Israel fails to meet its humanitarian obligations.

On Saturday, Ban will meet President Nuri Al Maliki of Iraq. On Sunday, he meets Afghan President Hamid Karzai. That appointment will be followed by a meeting with Middle East Quartet special envoy Tony Blair and a photo-op dinner. “Arab partners” such as the Syrian Foreign minister have been invited to attend.

Less cordial proceedings are likely to dominate the Security Council, headed by French Ambassador Ripert, as the body debates the third lot of sanctions against Iran.

Russia and China are against further sanctions, but the U.S. and France will push hard for them. Javier Solana, EU representative on Foreign affairs and a Principal of the Middle East Quartet, was forced this week the deflect questions about the separate threat of EU sanctions against the Islamic Republic should the UN fail to agree on a new resolution.

Relations between France and Iran have hit a new low following remarks by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner suggesting war with Iran was a considered possibility. The Iranians dismissed his comments as “hostile and irrational.”