BEIRUT: National Liberal Party head Dory Chamoun warned that a failure by the government to fund its share toward the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) could lead to the withdrawal of U.N peacekeepers in the south, a Kuwaiti newspaper reported Sunday.

Describing the scenario of failing to fund the court as “historic mistake,” Chamoun told Al-Seyassah newspaper that Lebanon would be placed in confrontation with the international community and this “would lead to dangers at the levels of implementing international resolutions such as [United Nations Security Council Resolution] 1701 and could lead to thoughts of withdrawing the international forces from south Lebanon.”

“The country would then be open to many possibilities,” Chamoun added.

Resolution 1701 brokered a cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel following the July-August 2006 war.

“Should we place ourselves in the circle of danger for people who committed a series of crimes against leading figures in this country, whatever the side standing behind them, whether a party, a state or several states?” Chamoun asked.

The STL, established in 2007 to bring to justice those involved in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, indicted in late June four members of Hezbollah in the case.

On the crisis in Syria, Chamoun said Damascus could not carry on with its crackdown on protesters and it would not last long after the collapse of dictatorships in the region.

The U.N. estimates some 3,500 Syrians, mostly civilians, have been killed in a crackdown by Damascus against protesters calling for change in that country. Syrian authorities deny targeting civilians, saying that “armed gunmen” are responsible for the deaths.