Damascus pleased over UN Hariri investigation progress

Syria expressed its satisfaction over the dealing of UN investigators with the Syrian officials who were interrogated in full secrecy for the second running day, in the course of investigation into the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri.

A Syrian official refused to disclose the nature of questions the UN investigators addressed to the Syrian officials. Other reports said that the UN investigators, lead by a German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis, are working in collaboration with legal experts who record testimonies in Arabic language and are then signed by the UN team members and the witnesses.

The sources added that the officials, whose names were not disclosed made testimonies under their personal capacity, rather than as officials in the Syrian government.

At the beginning of his mission in Damascus, where he had arrived on Tuesday, Mehlis asked for meeting with 8 Syrian officials with the possibility of interrogating others.

According to well-informed sources, the committee intends to inquire the Syrian minister of the Interior, the former chairman of the Syrian military intelligence in Lebanon Lt. gen. Ghazi Kanaan, his successor Rostom Fhazali who left Lebanon in April and two of his main assistants in Beirut Muhammad Khallouf and Jame Jame.

Mehlis's mission in Damascus lasts several days. He is expected to announce results of his investigation by the end of October. Once again, Damascus renewed denial of any connection to the assassination of Hariri. It stressed determination to cooperate with the committee because disclosing the reality is in its interests to eliminate doubts against it.