Syria Hindering U.N. Hariri Probe

By Alan Gray, NewsBlaze

Lack of cooperation slowing U.N. investigation

U.S. Ambassador John Bolton, called on Syria to cooperate with the U.N. investigation into the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.

The U.N. Security Council held a private three-hour meeting with U.N. Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari on the status of the investigation, lead by German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis.

After the meeting, The Security Council released a press statement calling for all countries to cooperate with the investigation.

The council did not mention Syria by name, but U.S. Ambassador John Bolton singled Syria out for its lack of cooperation.

"There is no doubt from the briefing we received today that Syria's lack of cooperation with the Mehlis investigation has considerably slowed down the Mehlis commission's work," Bolton said.

The commission initially contacted all the parties on June 11 asking for cooperation. After receiving no response from Syria, the commission then sent another request to Damascus on July 19, Bolton said. "Now, finally, on the 26th of August in Europe there will be a meeting to discuss what the cooperation might be," he said.

"The members of the council noted with satisfaction that the commission has significantly advanced the course of its investigation. They reiterated their full support to the commission in its efforts to help identify those responsible for the crime," the Security Council said in its statement read by council President Kenzo Oshima of Japan.

"Considering that cooperation with the commission of all those who may possess relevant information pertaining to the crime is essential to the inquiry, the members of the council reiterated their call on all states and all parties, especially those who are yet to respond adequately, to cooperate fully in order to expedite the work of the commission," the statement said.

U.N. Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari said Mehlis will report to the Security Council at U.N. headquarters in September.

Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze, Daily News

Tags: Politics, top news, World, 
   _   _
                 
Is your favorite bookmark site missing? Ask for it.