Syrian paper calls for truth of Hariri's killing

An official Syrian newspaper on Wednesday called for facts with clear-cut evidence of the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Syria "wants to reach facts with tangible evidence and not suspicions and presumptions," the state-run Syria Times said in a commentary.

"Through constructive cooperation with the international community, Syria is part of the solution to the pressing problem, not a part of the problem," the paper said.

It repeated Syria's criticism over the US "flagrant endeavors to impose sanctions on Syria and to convert the Security Council into a tool against the country."

The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution demanding full Syrian cooperation with a UN probe into Hariri's killing, threatening to take "further action" if Syria does not comply.

Chief UN investigator Detlev Mehlis released an interim report on Oct. 20, saying there was "converging evidence" of Syrian and Lebanese involvement in the killing of Hariri in a powerful car bomb blast in the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Feb. 14.

Syria denied any involvement and dismissed the report as politically motivated.

Syria withdrew its troops and intelligence agents from Lebanon in late April after Hariri's death sparked widespread anti-Syrian protests in Lebanon and growing international pressure.

Source: Xinhua