Syrian flexibility in responding to UN resolution

The international moves come at a time in which the Syrian ambassador to London Sami al-Kheyami stressed that Syria will permit UN al-Hariri assassination investigators to question Syrian officials in Damascus, by themselves (without the presence lawyers etc.).

Kheyami said that meeting with those Syrian officials as witnesses is possible at any time and had no problem and that the chairman of the committee, the German investigator Detlev Mehlis or member of his committee can chose a place in Damascus hoisting the UN flag in order to make that, noting that the investigators will have the freedom to choose their witnesses in the interviews, but keep their identities secret if necessary.

The Syrian ambassador said that his understanding for the resolution of the UN security council 1636 is that Mehlis should get the consent of the committee for the UN before naming any suspect in the murder of Rafiq al-Hariri.

Mehlis is expected to ask shortly to meet with Syrian officials, including members of the narrow circles of the Syrian president, including his brother Maher al-Assad, who is a senior military official, and his brother law and chairman of the military intelligence Asef Shawkat.