Lebanon: The Lebanese government has cautiously welcomed the appointment of Deputy Commissioner of the Garda Síochána Mr Peter Fitzgerald to head a UN team to inquire into the assassination on February 14th of former prime minister Rafik Hariri.
The Foreign Minister, Mr Mahmoud Hammoud, said the government would "study" the matter but was "keen" to co-operate with the UN on this issue.
The initial reaction of the Defence Minister, Mr Abdel Rahim Mrad, was negative. He accused the UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, of taking the decision to send a mission without consulting the government, thereby violating the country's sovereignty. A source in Beirut said the government had decided to unify its stand and was reserving its position until it found out what it intended to do.
"The team will be welcome, if it seeks to follow up the government's investigation but not if it wants to conduct its own investigation. This would be regarded as an infringement of sovereignty," the source stated.
Syria's official spokeswoman and minister of emigrant affairs, Dr Buthaina Shaaban, said: "The Lebanese government has announced that it will carry out its own investigation and is prepared to bring in experts from Switzerland and other countries. This should satisfy everyone.
"I see Annan's action as a violation of Lebanon's sovereignty. He is saying that the Lebanese government is not objective. This is insulting. The UN cannot carry out an investigation without consulting the Lebanese government. It cannot be excluded from the investigation because it could not prevent Hariri's murder. No government can guarantee complete security. This should not be used as a pretext for external interference in Lebanon's domestic affairs," she added.
Mr Suleiman Haddad, a member of the foreign affairs committee of the Syrian parliament, said: "I am against any foreign intervention. It will not provide any solution to the crisis created by Hariri's assassination. This was a major crime. But we favour assistance by an international group if the Lebanese government agrees, not if it is challenged." He said the best way to deal with the crisis would be for the speaker of the Lebanese parliament to appoint a committee made up of equal numbers of members from Mr Hariri's party, the opposition and the government.
He predicted trouble if the killing of Mr Hariri is used to pressurise Syria to pull out of Lebanon. "This must take place quietly and slowly. Syria will not withdraw with its head bowed down but with its head held high. We don't want to leave Lebanon in a catastrophic situation. We believe the Lebanese must unite, even if they unite against us."