UN urges states to execute Hariri arrest warrants

UNITED NATIONS, June 30 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday urged countries to cooperate with the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon on indictments over the 2005 killing of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.

"(Ban) calls on all states to support the independent judicial process, in particular by cooperating with the Special Tribunal in the execution of the indictment and arrest warrants," U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said.

He added that Ban "expects the new government of Lebanon to uphold all of Lebanon's international obligations and to cooperate with the Special Tribunal." (Reporting by Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Doina Chiacu)