Syria on Saturday said it was setting up its own inquiry into the murder of Lebanese ex-premier Rafiq Hariri in a move apparently aimed at heading off the threat of UN sanctions.
The state news agency said that the new inquiry would work in cooperation with the UN's own probe, whose initial report last week implicated Syrian officials in the February killing of the anti-Damascus Hariri.
"Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has ordered the setting up of a special commission of inquiry ... which will directly lead the investigation with Syrians -- civilians or military -- in all respects that concern the [UN] probe," SANA said.
The announcement was made days before the UN Security Council votes on a resolution threatening sanctions against Damascus over the regime's perceived lack of cooperation with the UN probe.
According to the presidential decree, "the special Syrian commission will cooperate with the commission of inquiry of the UN and with the Lebanese judicial authorities."
It said that the probe would be presided over by the public prosecutor and consist of the military prosecutor and a judge appointed by the ministry of justice.
The move comes amid threats of sanctions and pressure on Damascus to step up cooperation with the UN probe after an initial report implicated top security officials in both Lebanon and Syrian in the murder.
Assad has maintained that no Syrian official played a role in the murder, but anyone found to have done so would be punished as a traitor and possibly sent to an international court.
cooperation
He pledged his cooperation earlier this week, writing in a letter to Washington, London and Paris that "I am ready to follow up action to bring to trial any Syrian who could be proved by concrete evidence to have had connection with this crime."
The beleaguered leader also warned that any international pressure on Syria would have serious repercussions in the region.
A top Syrian official had said on Tuesday that Damascus was ready to cooperate with the UN inquiry, while criticizing the way German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis conducted his probe.
"Mehlis wants a special Syrian inquiry. We are ready to do that but Mr. Mehlis, who has not made such a request before, must tell us exactly what type of cooperation he is looking for," said Riad Daudi, legal advisor for the Syrian foreign ministry.
The UN Security Council is expected to vote today on a draft resolution from the US, France and Britain which threatens Damascus with economic and diplomatic sanctions if it does not fully cooperate with the probe.
compliance
According to the draft, the Security Council "expresses its intention to consider further measures pursuant to Article 41 of the [UN] Charter, if needed to ensure compliance by Syria."
Article 41 permits the council to decide what measures other than the use of force may be used to assure compliance with its decisions, such as economic and diplomatic sanctions.
However, holding out the threat of economic or diplomatic sanctions against the Syrian state -- as opposed to individuals -- remains controversial within the council and could face opposition from Algeria, China and Russia.
A confidential version of the UN report released last week contained witness testimony linking Assef Shawkat, Assad's brother-in-law and head of military intelligence, to the murder.
In the aftermath of the report's publication, Syria had hit back at its findings, which it claimed were biased and false. Foreign ministry advisor Dawdi said in remarks published on Friday that Syria would not arrest top security agents implicated by the UN murder probe unless there is serious proof of their involvement.
"It is impossible to put in prison the head of the security service, who is one of the top officials in our country, just because Mehlis wants to jail him," Daudi told the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat.
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