A UN fact-finding team including three garda officers began its inquiries today into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, a killing the opposition blamed on Syria.
Mr Hariri's death started a row over the presence of Syrian troops in Lebanon and intensified international pressure on Damascus to end its dominating role in its smaller neighbour.
But Syrian soldiers in the north of the country were still in place today, a day after Damascus said it was planning to pull back troops towards its border in line with the Taif Accord that ended Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war.
Lebanon's Defence Minister Abdel Rahim Mrad said the Syrian and Lebanese military were in contact to agree on a timetable for the redeployment which he said was "hours or days away".
The head of the three-member UN team, Deputy Garda Commissioner Peter Fitzgerald, told reporters in Beirut he promised "absolute impartiality and professionalism".
"I look forward to working closely with the Lebanese authorities, and to learning about their progress in investigating this terrible crime," he said.
"We will also seek to speak to others who might assist us to fulfil our mandate." The Lebanese authorities, which have released few details, have launched their own investigation and sought Swiss expertise in DNA testing and explosives.