BEIRUT: Hezbollah is seeking the postponement of discussion over funding for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon until December, An-Nahar newspaper reported Sunday.

The newspaper reported that Hezbollah is suggesting to put off “the battle” inside the government over the funding, but that Progressive Socialist Party officials are convinced that the funding will take place despite any attempts to postpone the issue.

The 2012 draft budget, to be revealed by the Finance Ministry Tuesday, is expected to include financing for the tribunal. An-Nahar reported Sunday that there would be no discussion in Tuesday’s meeting of the items in the budget.

“The Cabinet meeting Tuesday will only consist of revealing the draft budget ... discussions will then take place afterwards to reach a compromise,” the daily newspaper said.

Ministerial sources told An-Nahar that the Cabinet would need to reach a compromise over the fudning issue that would “protect Lebanon and its commitment and preserve Hezbollah’s status and the government’s” to avoid the Hezbollah led-majority blocking the $32 million funding in Parliament.

The majority March 8 coalition has rejected funding for tribunal and vowed to block any attempt in Cabinet or Parliament to allow Lebanon to pay its 49 percent share of the court’s budget.

Safadi revealed some details of the 2012 budget during a news conference on Oct. 5, but did not address whether the budget would cover the expenses of STL. However, he pledged that the government would fulfill all of its local and international obligations.

When asked about any possible objections to paying the STL’s expenses, Safadi said that the interests of Lebanon are a priority and expressed his confidence that all political parties would unanimously agree that Lebanon’s top interest was to fulfill its international obligations.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati has vowed commitment to its international obligations, including Lebanon’s share of the tribunal, which earlier this year indicted four Hezbollah members of involvement in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.