Lebanonwire.com | Syria denies any Hariri murder role, calls Mehlis report 'faulty'

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November 29, 2005

Syria denies any Hariri murder role, calls Mehlis report 'faulty'

WASHINGTON - The Syrian government on Tuesday reiterated it played no role in the murder of Lebanese ex-premier Rafiq Hariri and said it suffered "great harm" from a "faulty" UN report blaming Damascus.

"Syria reiterates that no party or individual with any ties to the Syrian government played a role in the heinous assassination of the former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri," a statement released by the Syrian embassy here said.

It noted that former Syrian intelligence agent Hassam Taher Hassam, whom the UN enquiry panel quoted seven times in its interim report in formulating the accusations against Syria, has now recanted his testimony.

"This new information completely undermines the information leveled against Syria in the report" released by UN chief investigator Detlev Mehlis.

A statement from the Mehlis commission confirmed that Hassam had testified before it, but added that he had volunteered his testimony and had even expressed fear about repercussions from the Syrian authorities.

The Syrian statement also said that the other main witness used by Mehlis, Zuhair Saddiq, has been charged of committing perjury in his testimony against Syria.

"Syria has repeatedly stated that the testimonies in the Mehlis report, placing the blame for this crime on Syria, were dubious and shady and that the case against Syria was nonexistent," it said.

"This faulty report has damaged Syria tremendously and caused some countries to call for UN sanctions against Syria. Syria is deeply concerned that, by the time the Mehlis Commission ends its investigation and reveals the truth about Hariri's assassination, sanctions would have already been implemented causing great harm to Syria and its people," it added.

The statement reaffirmed Damascus' pledge to cooperate with the Mehlis panel, as demanded in a UN Security Council resolution adopted on October 31, saying it was "of vital self-interest to Syria for the Commission to uncover the truth about this crime."

The Mehlis panel, which faces a December 15 target date to complete its probe of the Hariri slaying, was due to question five senior Syrian officials in Vienna Tuesday.