BEIRUT: Lebanon’s prime minister called on all sides Thursday to act responsibly with regards to an indictment in the case of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri to thwart attempts to destabilize the country.

Lebanon needs to “act responsibly and think seriously [on the issue of the indictment] so that no one can use this opportunity to create instability in the country,” Najib Mikati said following a Cabinet session which had just approved its ministerial statement, including an article on the controversial U.N.-backed court.

“Your government which is taking its first steps … will follow up on the developments after the indictment and it will take the needed measures to ensure that the truth about Rafik Hariri’s [assassination] is revealed,” Mikati told reporters.

Earlier Thursday, State Prosecutor Saeed Mirza was handed a copy of the Lebanon portion of the indictment by a delegation from the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the international court tasked with bringing to justice those involved in the 2005 assassination of Hariri.

Meerza said he had received the indictments but did not elaborate on its contents. Sources told The Daily Star that the indictment included the names of four members belonging to Hezbollah.

The Hezbollah-led March 8 alliance, which holds a majority in Mikati’s Cabinet, has repeatedly questioned the tribunal’s credibility and described it as an “American-Israeli project” aimed at targeting the resistance.

During the news conference, Mikati stressed that Lebanon’s interests should supersede all others.

“Today’s reality requires us to study this issue in a wise manner by placing the country’s interests, civil peace … above all other issues,” Mikati told reporters hours after the STL delegation’s visit to Mirza. Mikati added that the indictment needed to be based on irrefutable evidence.

“Whoever bet on the indictment dividing the country has been proven wrong,” Mikati said.