LONDON, Dec 1: Syria may eventually hand over to the United Nations any of its nationals indicted for the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Al Hariri, Syria’s deputy prime minister said on Thursday. Abdullah Al Dardari said any handover could happen only after indictments had gone through a Syrian legal process.

“If he (chief UN investigator Detlev Mehlis) wants to indict anyone, the indictment should go to Syria and through the Syrian legal process,” he told reporters. “The person will be arrested by Syrian authorities and then handed over to the UN”

Dardari, visiting London, said five Syrians to be questioned by UN investigators in Vienna next week will have their lawyers with them under a deal he said was guaranteed by Russia.

The five have not been named, but diplomats said those going to the Austrian capital would include Lieutenant-General Rustom Ghazali, Syria’s former military intelligence chief in Lebanon.

Mehlis had originally wanted to question them in Lebanon, but Syria demurred. It also insisted that those questioned in Vienna be free to leave and not be detained.

Dardari said Syria had won an agreement that Syrian and international law be applied in a legal process of questioning by the UN investigators and possible arrest later.

Dardari, who supervises economic reform in Syria, said Syrian President Bashar Al Assad had already made clear that any Syrian proved to have been involved in Hariri’s killing would be dealt with as a traitor and tried at home or abroad.

He said Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, had guaranteed an agreement with the UN inquiry over how and where the five Syrians would be questioned.

Hours before Syria announced on Friday that it would send the five to Vienna, its state news agency reported that Assad had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

There was no word from Moscow on the nature of Russia’s role.

Russian involvement, Dardari argued, would make it hard for the Security Council to press for sanctions against Syria when Mehlis submits his final report on Dec. 15.

“It’s not going to be very easy to say Syria is not cooperating without any evidence (of that),” he said.

“So I don’t think the Security Council will...raise the stakes towards sanctions on Dec. 15,” he added, predicting that prospects for sanctions would recede further as Syria is seen to be cooperating with the UN investigation.

Ibrahim Gambari, UN undersecreatry-general for political affairs, said on Wednesday that the inquiry’s mandate was likely to be extended beyond Dec. 15, but Mehlis might step down.

“The investigation has to continue,” Gambari said. “It is very clear he will need an extension (and) the Lebanese government says it is now ready to approve an extension.”

In Beirut, the Lebanese cabinet met to discuss whether to request an extension. Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said on Wednesday the government was also considering asking for an international trial for anyone who may be charged.

Mehlis’ interim report in October cast suspicion on senior Syrian officials and suggested the assassination was planned by top security officials in Damascus and their Lebanese allies.

His report also criticized Syria for failing to cooperate with the investigation, a charge Damascus denied.

—Reuters