Syria Today | Assad sets terms for cooperation with UN Special Tribunal

Assad sets terms for cooperation with UN Special Tribunal

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said his country would cooperate with the UN special tribunal probing the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, but only “within its own conditions”. Assad made the comments during an interview with France 5 television channel on June 22.

Assad told France 5 Syria was prepared to cooperate with the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) just as it had “cooperated with the UN investigating committees” in the lead-up to the establishment of the tribunal.

“We are ready to cooperate with the tribunal, but within our own conditions,” he said. “Because any Syrian, whether in the government or outside the government, is within our rule, our authority.”

Assad said one of the conditions would be that Damascus has an accord similar to that of the UN-Lebanese agreement which ensures a Lebanese judge sits on the tribunal. He said this was in order to uphold the rights of any Syrian nationals.

“If they want to have any cooperation from Syria, there must be an agreement,” Assad said. “If there is an agreement, a clear agreement, we don’t have a problem.”

Hariri was killed in a car bombing in Beirut in February 2005. Syria’s critics in Lebanon accuse Damascus of being involved in the assassination, allegations the country denies.

STL President Antonio Cassese told the AFP last May he planned to strike agreements with Lebanon’s neighbours, including Syria and Israel, for cooperation on the case to facilitate the handover of possible suspects in the assassination.

The STL currently has no suspects in custody following the release of four generals last April held by Lebanese authorities for nearly four years without charge.