Assad says Syria to cooperate fully in Hariri probe
Reuters
Date: 08-28-05
BERLIN (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pledged his country's full cooperation with the U.N. probe into the murder of Lebanese ex-Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, saying in an interview it was in Syria's best interest to do so.
"We are showing complete cooperation. We are interested in the investigation because we are convinced we will be cleared -- that is unless the results are falsified for political reasons," Assad told German news weekly Der Spiegel in an interview published on Sunday.
Hariri was killed in a massive explosion in Beirut on February 14 and many in Lebanon pointed a finger of blame at Syria, which ended a 29-year military presence in Lebanon in April under international pressure in the turbulent aftermath of Hariri's death.
The Syrian president said his country had nothing to do with the murder and he was convinced the inquiry would clarify this.
It was not immediately clear when the Der Spiegel interview was conducted or whether Assad was responding directly to criticism this week from a United Nations official.
Ibrahim Gambari, the U.N. undersecretary-general for political affairs, told the U.N Security Council on Thursday that Syria was not cooperating with the probe into the killing and had yet to respond to a six-week-old request for documents and interviews with five Syrian witnesses.
The U.N envoy investigating Hariri's assassination, German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis, met Syrian diplomats in Geneva on Friday and an official Syrian source in Damascus told Reuters they had given him a letter that answered his questions.
Assad said Mehlis is free to question anyone he would like.
"I have said that anyone may testify whom he wishes to question. It is in my interests and in the interests of Syria," he said.
Asked whether he could really be sure that Syrian secret services or other compatriots were not involved, Assad said: "I am completely sure. Such an act would require the co-operation of many people and institutions. Had this been the case we would have known about it."
He said he had not attended Hariri's funeral on principle because of the allegations of blame.
Asked about Hariri's last visit to Damascus and reports of loud arguments between them, Assad said:
"Some even said I threatened him. Others maintained a security official put a gun to his head. This is ridiculous."
"During this conversation we discussed an extension to Lebanese President Emile Lahoud's term of office. It was clear Hariri did not agree. Then I told him 'we do not want to put any pressure on you. Go back to Lebanon and then tell us your decision."'
Assad added Hariri said a few days later he agreed.
"Why would Syria kill someone with whom there were no differences. That makes no sense. In actual fact we Syrians are the ones who have been the most disadvantaged by this affair," Assad said.
In the interview the Syrian president also stressed the more other countries interfered the longer Syria would need on its path to democracy, and many Syrians were more concerned about the fight against poverty then the prospects for a democratic constitution.
Source
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