January 5, 2006	Thursday	Zilhaj 4, 1426

BEIRUT, Jan 4: Syria has agreed to allow UN investigators to interview its foreign minister over the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri, diplomats said on Wednesday.

Syria was still considering a request by the UN team probing the February killing to meet President Bashar Al-Assad, but an interview with Foreign Minister Farouq Al-Shara was acceptable, the diplomats said.

“The request is being considered while other capitals are in contact with Syria on the same subject,” a diplomatic source said. “As announced before there is no objection that the committee meets Shara. That position did not change.”

A senior Saudi official is expected to discuss in Damascus the issue of Syria’s cooperation with the investigation. The leaders of Saudi Arabia and Egypt held talks on the matter in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

The United States has warned Syria that its top officials should submit to the interviews in line with a UN Security Council resolution that called for it to comply fully with the inquiry or face unspecified ‘further action’.

Syria has denied any role in the killing and has not commented on the request for an interview with its president, although it previously invited chief investigator Detlev Mehlis to meet with Shara.

The diplomatic sources gave no details on the possible date or venue of any meeting with Shara but said it would be outside Syria. The investigation team had no comment on the report.—Reuters