Damascus agrees Sharaa to be interrogated by UN committee

News reports quoted diplomats as saying that Syria agreed to permit the UN investigators to meet with the Syrian foreign minister Farouq al-Sharaa regarding the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri.

The diplomats added that Damascus is still discussing the request of the investigators to meet with President Bashar al-Assad.

Al-Jazeera satellite TV said that Damascus has not officially responded so far to the request of the UN committee, but the approval may be in compliance with statements made by the Syrian ambassador to the UN Faisal al-Miqdad that Sharaa is ready to make this meeting.

Al-Jazeera added that Sharaa stressed during a party meeting that his country asked the signing of a protocol with the UN committee to specify the limits and authorities of the chairman of the UN committee, and to confirm that the request of the UN committee does not undermine national sovereignty.