United Nations, Nov 1, SPA -- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan held an unannounced meeting with the permanent five members of the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday to discuss the formation of a tribunal of international character to bring to trial suspects in the 2005 murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and 22 others. The meeting with U.N. ambassadors from the United States, China, Britain, France, and Russia focused on the tribunal. The secretary-general wanted to share with them his reflections on the elaboration of the legal basis for the tribunal of an international character, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in response to a question by Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Dujarric added that the tribunal discussions are ongoing, and that Annan has shared views with the permanent five and other interested members of the Security Council while his legal affairs representative, Nicola Michel, has been working with Lebanese government officials. The next step will be for the secretary-general to submit a draft proposal of the tribunal to the council. "We thought that it was important to move quickly to establish the tribunal," U.S. Ambassador John Bolton told SPA after the meeting. Bolton noted that some questions remain and will be discussed before the text is submitted.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/399799