Hariri: All must cooperate in UN assassination probe

Head of the Future Bloc in Parliament MP Saad Hariri's reiterated in a statement confidence in the UN-commissioned probe of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri's assassination, and criticized attempts to exploit Russia's call for revealing the names of countries that have not been cooperating with the investigation.

The statement urged full cooperation from all parties with the UN investigative team. The statement said Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, Russia's representative and current United Nations Security Council President, who made the appeal was the same Ambassador who had voted in favor of creating the international tribunal, and pointed out that Russia is a friendly state that backs the court.

The statement also reaffirmed confidence in Serge Brammertz, the Commissioner of the UN probe and his team, in bringing to justice the killers of Premier Hariri and other national figures.

In response to House Speaker Nabih Berri's comments to An-Nahar newspaper, in which he questioned the "silence" of Parliament's majority regarding Russia's question, the statement also made clear that Berri is aware there can be no compromise over the court and all matters related to the assassination. It stressed the probe must continue to punish the assassins, regardless of their status or country of origin. The statement asked Berri about the reasons behind "the silence" over blocking a parliamentary session that was supposed to approve the court's creation.

Meantime, Hariri condemned the attack on former MP Ghattas Khoury's wife, Samar Khoury, saying it reflected the undemocratic and inhumane practices of its perpetrators. Hariri said he hoped the assault, which took place in Beirut on the 9th of this month is not linked to developments in the country.

He described Ghattas Khoury is a pillar of the independence movement and is a good friend of the Hariri family. He added, any attack on the former MP or his family amounts to an assault on the country's' national cause.