France proposes UN resolution to expand Hariri probe News
France proposes UN resolution to expand Hariri probe

[JURIST] The UN Security Council [official website] is considering a proposed resolution, offered by France at the request of Lebanon, that would widen the scope of the UN probe [UN materials] into the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri [JURIST news archive] to include other politically motivated killings that have occurred in Lebanon during the past year. The resolution, which would also extend the mandate of the UN International Independent Investigation Commission for another six months, was circulated to the Security Council late Tuesday, a day after the commission's chief investigator, German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis, submitted a report [JURIST report; UN News report] that cited additional evidence of Syrian involvement in the Hariri murder. Mehlis' interim report [text] implicated both Syrian and Lebanese security officials. During Tuesday's meeting [UN meeting summary], Lebanon asked that an international tribunal be established to try suspects charged in the Hariri assassination. Also Tuesday, Syria's UN Ambassador Feyssal Mekdad said that Syria is fully cooperating with the UN probe, despite criticism to the contrary. AP has more. The UN News Centre provides additional coverage.