Region | Syria
Hariri probe team begins questioning Syrians in Vienna
UN investigators began questioning five Syrian officials in Vienna on Monday in connection with Hariri assassination
- Agencies
- Published: 23:31 May 3, 2009
Vienna: UN investigators began questioning five Syrian officials in Vienna on Monday in connection with the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Al Hariri in Beirut.
Syria, which denies any role in the killing, agreed to let the investigators quiz the men at UN offices in Vienna after receiving guarantees from a permanent UN Security Council member that they could return to Damascus afterwards.
"This is the case," a diplomatic source told reporters when asked if the questioning had started, declining further comment.
The Security Council has warned Syria to cooperate with the probe or face unspecified action, which could lead to sanctions.
Meanwhile, Lebanon has asked UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to extend for six months the mandate of an inquiry into the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Al Hariri.
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora told Annan in a phone call on Saturday that the Lebanese government wanted the inquiry to continue for six months after its December 15 deadline, and be open to further extensions, a statement from his office said.
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