Annan urges Damascus to collaborate with UN committee
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged Syria to cooperate fully with the UN investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese leader Rafiq al-Hariri.
Annan made the comment on Thursday when asked about the apparent refusal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to agree to be interviewed by UN investigators about the Feb. 14 bombing in Beirut that killed Hariri and 20 others.
A resolution approved by the UN Security Council requires cooperation by all parties, including Syria, and Syria has indicated that they will cooperate, and "I urge them to cooperate and cooperate fully."
On Wednesday, Annan appointed Serge Brammertz, a Belgian who is deputy prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, to lead the next stage of the investigation. Brammertz will replace the German Detlev Mehlis who decided to step down after the probe was extended beyond six months.
In his final report to the UN Security Council in December, Mehlis said new evidence strengthened his initial belief that the Syrian and Lebanese intelligence services had a hand in Hariri's assassination. He said there were 19 suspects so far, including six high-ranking Syrian officials, and detailed how Damascus had tried to hinder the probe.
Annan has taken steps to help the Lebanese Government identify the nature and scope of the international assistance needed for those charged with the crime to be tried by a tribunal of an international character. "In near future, he will dispatch a mission to Lebanon for this purpose," spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. “In addition, the Secretary-General will consult with Mr. Brammertz and the Lebanese authorities regarding the most effective manner of expanding the work of the Commission to assist the Lebanese authorities to investigate other terrorist attacks since 1 October 2004."
Annan said "interviewing al-Assad will be one of the issues Brammertz will have to deal with after he arrives in Beirut next week."
"I'm sure Brammertz will make early contact with the Syrian authorities and with the Syrians to try and move the process forward," Annan said.
