Syria allows UN questioning

Syria agreed yesterday to allow UN investigators to question five officials at the UN offices in Vienna in connection with the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, a top official said.

The Syrian move was designed to avert a showdown between Damascus and the UN Security Council after sources in Lebanon said chief UN investigator Detlev Mehlis was close to giving up on Syrian cooperation over demands from Damascus for a legal deal before allowing the quizzing.

"The Syrian leadership has agreed to his (Mehlis) compromise proposal on holding the interviews of the five Syrian persons at the UN headquarters in Vienna," deputy Foreign Ministry Walid al-Moualem told a news conference. Mr Moualem said a date for the questioning would be set after contacts with Mr Mehlis.

A UN spokesman in New York confirmed the deal and said Mr Mehlis has informed UN secretary general Kofi Annan of the accord by telephone.

A Security Council resolution on October 31 demanded Syria cooperate fully with Mr Mehlis or face unspecified further action.

Mr Mehlis then summoned six top Syrian security officials, who according to Lebanese political sources include President Bashar al-Assad's brother-in-law, for questioning in Lebanon - where he has power to arrest them. Mr Moualem said Syria has dropped its demands for a legal framework for cooperation before allowing the questioning after receiving guarantees on the right of the individuals, who will be accompanied by legal representatives, and on the respect of Syria's sovereignty.

"The Syrian leadership's decision today... is an important step that eliminates any excuse for imposing economic sanctions on Syria," he said.

The official said the individuals, whose names were not released, would return to Damascus after the interviews, saying Mr Mehlis had no power to arrest any suspects.

Mr Moualem and the ministry's legal advisor, Riad al-Daoudi, who was present at the news conference, said they were aware that Mr Mehlis wanted to interview only five Syrians, not six.