yria has said it is ready to cooperate with the UN investigation into the killing of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri amidst international criticism of Damascus's failure to answer questions. "Syria is ready to cooperate with the international enquiry commission to arrive at the truth in the crime of Rafiq al-Hariri's assassination," a foreign ministry official said on Friday. Lebanon's private Future Television reported that the commission's chief, German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis, would meet "a Syrian representative" in Geneva within 24 hours, citing a UN official in New York. The UN Security Council on Thursday called on Syria to fully cooperate with the probe into the February murder of the billionaire five-time prime minister, with the United States calling Damascus's stance "unacceptable". The council did not actually name Syria but in a statement said: "The members of the Council reiterated their call on all states and all parties, especially those who are yet to respond adequately, to cooperate fully in order to expedite the work of the (enquiry) commission."
Many in Lebanon have blamed the killing of al-Hariri on Syria and its then allies in the Lebanese government, charges vehemently denied by Damascus. Al-Hariri's son Saad called on Syria to answer the probe's questions, saying in a statement that "countries that are brothers and friends of Lebanon are required to cooperate."