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U.S. ambassador says Syrian president refused to talk to investigators probing Hariri assassination | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Lebanese army soldiers and their military vehicles are seen at a military checkpoint in the southeastern village of Helweh, close to the Syrian border, Lebanon, October 26, 2005 (AP)


Lebanese army soldiers and their military vehicles are seen at a military checkpoint in the southeastern village of Helweh, close to the Syrian border, Lebanon, October 26, 2005 (AP)

Lebanese army soldiers and their military vehicles are seen at a military checkpoint in the southeastern village of Helweh, close to the Syrian border, Lebanon, October 26, 2005 (AP)

UNITED NATIONS (AP) – Syrian President Bashar Assad refused to meet U.N. investigators probing the assassination of Lebanon”s former prime minister, but would be required to submit to questioning under a proposed new U.N. resolution, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said.

Bolton”s comments Wednesday offered the first confirmation that the U.N. investigators led by German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis had tried to talk to Assad about the Feb. 14 car bombing in Beirut that killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 20 others.

The Syrian president wasn”t mentioned in Mehlis” report to the Security Council last week, which implicated top Syrian and Lebanese security officials in Hariri”s assassination and accused Syria of not cooperating fully with the investigation. But Mehlis told council members at a closed-door briefing Tuesday that Assad refused to be interviewed, Bolton”s spokesman Richard Grenell said.

The resolution introduced Tuesday by the United States, France and Britain would require Syria to detain any Syrian official or civilian the U.N. investigators might consider a suspect in Hariri”s killing and allow the individual to be questioned outside the country or without Syrian officials present.

It would immediately freeze the assets and impose a travel ban on anyone the commission identified as a possible suspect in the assassination, and if Syria refuses to cooperate, the Security Council would consider &#34further measures,&#34 including economic sanctions.

When Bolton was asked whether the detention provision would apply to Assad, he replied: &#34It absolutely includes the president of Syria. No person is above the law.&#34

&#34The president has the opportunity to talk to the media all the time and he”s still doing it. He should have a few minutes to talk to commissioner Mehlis,&#34 Bolton said.

The U.S. ambassador disclosed Assad”s refusal to be questioned while defending the tough draft resolution, which faces strong opposition from Russia, China and Algeria.

The Security Council discussed the draft behind closed doors late Wednesday.

Opposition from Russia and China could spell serious trouble for the draft resolution because both countries have veto power as permanent members of the Security Council.

But Bolton said he was encouraged by the initial response to the draft and was still hoping for a council meeting on Monday at the ministerial level to adopt the resolution.

&#34When a rocket is launched, as it picks up speed and moves down range it goes through a period of aerodynamic turbulence much like Security Council resolutions,&#34 Bolton said. &#34We”re now in the period of aerodynamic turbulence, and we”ll consult at length and see if we can”t get through it, but I”m optimistic about it.&#34

Council experts scheduled a meeting Thursday to start going over the text.

&#34We”re open to suggestions,&#34 Bolton said. &#34But in terms of the purpose that we have, of sending a strong and clear signal, that”s not going to change.&#34

&#34The Mehlis report says officials of the government of Syria made false statements, that they have prevented access to material witnesses,&#34 Bolton said.

President Assad has refused to meet with Mehlis. Mehlis told us in the council that he had asked the government of Syria for their files on Hariri, and the government of Syria said `we have no files on Hariri.” That provoked laughter in the council chamber,&#34 the U.S. envoy said.

&#34That”s not cooperation,&#34 Bolton stressed. &#34I think … their obstructionism to date demonstrates that we have to send a strong signal, and we have to indicate what we”re prepared to do if they don”t cooperate.&#34

Syria”s U.N. Ambassador Fayssal Mekdad said he hadn”t heard Bolton”s comments but countered that Assad has &#34expressed on more than one occasion that those who committed this crime, whether Syrians or not, are traitors and they have to be put to justice.&#34

He called the draft resolution part of &#34a U.S. agenda against Syria&#34 and said he expects key points to be disputed during the council”s upcoming discussions by Russia, China and others.

China &#34won”t support such an agenda, which is very aggressive in nature and which destabilizes the region in general,&#34 Mekdad said.

China”s U.N. Ambassador Wang Guangya told reporters late Wednesday that the threat of sanctions and giving the resolution a mandate that is potentially militarily enforceable were &#34serious&#34 problems. He said China was also concerned that wording in the draft resolution &#34gives absolute power&#34 to the Mehlis commission. Asked whether China would use its veto if these were not addressed, Wang replied: «So far, I”m not thinking about it. I think we should work to find … common language. Sanctions is something we cannot go along on. … We don”t need that now. We need cooperation from Syria.&#34

According to Russian news agencies, Russia”s Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said that Moscow &#34will be doing everything necessary to prevent attempts to impose sanctions against Syria.&#34

Russia”s U.N. Ambassador Andrey Denisov said Moscow has problems with imposing sanctions against Syria. But he said &#34all of us, we are keen to look for a compromise,&#34 and he expressed hope that there would be agreement on a resolution by Monday.

Bolton stressed that the resolution doesn”t impose sanctions on the Syrian government.

&#34As the Russian government has the chance to review the resolution, we”re hoping that we”re going to get their support for it,&#34 he said.

Japan”s U.N. Ambassador Kenzo Oshima said &#34there is general agreement that we should be very firm and clear in seeking full cooperation from Syria. The question is how far do you want to go in ensuring that key point.&#34

Algeria”s U.N. Ambassador Abdallah Baali, whose country is the only Arab member on the Security Council, said the draft &#34definitely raises difficult problems for Algeria.&#34

&#34Our wish is to see Syria cooperate with the commission,&#34 he said. &#34The draft resolution should focus on assisting the commission in finding the truth, the whole truth and nothing else. … In general, we don”t like sanctions.&#34

Syrians walk in front of posters showing President Bashar Assad and Cuban revolutionary leader Ernesto "Che" Guevara (left) in Damascus, Syria, October 26, 2005 (AP)

Syrians walk in front of posters showing President Bashar Assad and Cuban revolutionary leader Ernesto “Che” Guevara (left) in Damascus, Syria, October 26, 2005 (AP)

Fayssal Mekdad Syrian Ambassador to United Nations speaks to reporters at United Nations Headquarters in New York, October 26, 2005 (AP)

Fayssal Mekdad Syrian Ambassador to United Nations speaks to reporters at United Nations Headquarters in New York, October 26, 2005 (AP)