Hariri told a gathering late on Monday that Lebanon
should not fear "any political noise, which we hope to calm down and turn
into calm speech, and start democratic dialogue."
Hezbollah had strongly criticized the UN tribunal and
said that the prosecutor's first indictment, expected to be issued in September
or October, will blame some of its members.
Hezbollah's leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who has been
in hiding since the group's war with Israel in 2006, has repeatedly rejected
any Hezbollah link to Hariri's killing, attacking the tribunal as an
"Israeli project."
Hariri said differences should be resolved by openness
and dialogue. On Saturday, he said he wanted to know who killed his father but
at the same time he wanted stability.
"Dialogue cannot succeed with the accusations of
treason and with repeated calls for tests of patriotism and nationalism."
In his comments on Monday evening, he said: "I
reiterate my call to refrain from these methods and to stop the insults and
accusations. With calmness, we can open the doors of dialogue and we can hear
each other."
"And with wisdom we can protect Lebanon."
Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria and Iran, is determined to deflect any
blame for the 2005 assassination.
Hariri's remarks came before a scheduled session of
"national dialogue" on Thursday in which rival leaders are trying to
agree the country's defense strategy toward Israel.
Political sources said the tribunal was not on the agenda
but it was very likely to be brought up during discussions.
The first national dialogue session was held in September
2008 after a Qatari-mediated deal ended an 18-month political crisis which led
to a street fighting between Hezbollah and supporters of the pro-Western
Hariri, in a brief echo of Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war.
The fighting broke out when the government tried to shut
down a telephone network operated by Hezbollah, which called the move a
declaration of war. Some analysts warned that such a scenario could be repeated
if Hezbollah figures are indicted.
Hariri formed a national unity government last year which
includes Hezbollah ministers. Analysts say if the tribunal does indict
Hezbollah members, the group, together with Shiite and Christian allies, could
decide to collapse the government.
Assafir newspaper said on Tuesday Hariri and Nasrallah's
assistant Hussein Khalil held a late night meeting on Sunday. It quoted sources
describing the meeting as "positive and very useful".
