Russia, US differ on states impeding Lebanon probe
Source: Reuters
(Adds U.S. comments, paragraphs 8-9) By Evelyn Leopold UNITED NATIONS, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Russia wants the U.N. Security Council to find out which nations are not cooperating fully with an investigation into political murders in Lebanon, Moscow's U.N. ambassador said on Tuesday. But France and the United States, among other Western council members, disagree with putting such a request to Serge Brammertz, head of a U.N. probe into the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri and 15 other apparently politically motivated attacks. Russia is an ally of Syria, which many Lebanese blame for the killings. Syria denies any involvement. Last month, Brammertz told reporters he had sent out more than 60 requests "to an important number of countries and today there are more than 20 still not answered." This, he said impeded the work of his commission. Brammertz did not name the countries. Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin wants to know who they are, saying the council should ask the prosecutor "to be more specific next time he reports to the council in March." Western diplomats indicated that the Russian action would draw attention from Syria. Western nations may well be on the list of those who have withheld financial or other intelligence. Alejandro Wolff, the acting U.S. ambassador, told reporters of the Russian initiative, "We don't think that this is the right way to go." He said he would be guided by Brammertz's "view of what will help him most." Wolff said the issue had been discussed with Brammertz and "we are confident that our support is just what he wants," rather than the Russian initiative. But Churkin told reporters that Brammertz "gave this rather strong signal, so the signal has to be taken up." "We should face our own political responsibilities as the Security Council," which authorized the investigation, he said. "Let us face it. If we focus so hard on one country why should we disregard completely or even not want to know what those countries are." Syria denies involvement in the Hariri slaying, which took place after the former prime minister accused Damascus of meddling in Lebanese politics. Street protests in Lebanon after the killing prompted Syria to withdraw forces that had been in the country for 22 years. Behind closed doors in council consultations, participants said supporters of Russia, such as Qatar, South Africa and Indonesia, made the point that the council should be even-handed and not just finger one country -- a reference to Syria, the subject of several council resolutions. Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari singled out France, instrumental with the United States in getting the council to approve the Hariri probe, as blocking the letter to Brammertz. "The Russian initiative is against singling out a country for political purposes," he said. "It goes toward knowing precisely those countries that have cooperated and those that have not." The Security Council will return to the issue later in the week, said Churkin, this month's council president.
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