Malta condemns Beirut blast, calls for stability in Lebanon

The Government of Malta condemned the terrorist attack in Beirut in which Mohamad Chatah, the former Minister of Finance of Lebanon, and several others died.

Chatah, a close aide of ex-prime minister Saad Hariri and a Sunni Muslim who was a vocal critic of Syria and Hezbollah, was killed along with at least seven others in a blast on Friday that shook the capital Beirut.

While conveying its condolences to the families of the victims, the Maltese government expressed its deep concern at the spiraling violence in Lebanon.

"Malta urges the political leaders and the Lebanese people to unite and collectively work towards restoring security and stability in the country," the statement said.

During Chatah's funeral held on Sunday, mourners gathered outside the mosque chanted against the powerful Hezbollah movement, an ally of the Syrian regime, which has been accused of killing Chatah and other critics in recent years.

Chatah was buried at the mausoleum of of Saad's father, late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005.

Chatah's assassination is part of an ongoing wave of violence destabilising the country for years. A civil war waging in neighbouring Syria since 2011 has spilled over into multi-faith Lebanon as different political factions side with opponent parties battling next-door.

The killing occurred three weeks before the long-delayed opening of a trial of five Hezbollah suspects indicted for the 2005 bombing which killed Rafik Hariri, and 21 other people.

Hezbollah, which denies any role in the Hariri assassination, has refused to cooperate with the court, which it says is politically motivated. Preliminary UN investigations implicated Syrian officials.