UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is sending a team to Beirut within the next few days to gather information about the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.

    In a statement issued Friday by the secretary, Annan said the team is pursuant to the request of the Security Council that he urgently report on the circumstances, causes and consequences of the killing of Hariri.

    The team will be led by Peter Fitzgerald, a Deputy Police Commissioner of the Irish national police force, and consist of staff with relevant expertise, the statement said.

    The team will make contact with Lebanese officials and others to gather such information as necessary for the secretary to report to the council in a timely manner, it noted. Enditem