Deputy Syrian FM Walid Muallem told a news conference that Damascus agreed to let UN probe question its 5 officials in Vienna over assassination of former Lebanese PM Hariri. (Xinhua photo)

   DAMASCUS, Nov. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior Syrian official said on Friday that Damascus agreed to let UN probe question its five officials in Vienna over assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.

   Deputy Foreign Minister Walid Muallem told a news conference that the Syrian leadership "has decided to inform (chief UN investigator Detlev) Mehlis that it accepts his suggestion, as a compromise, that the venue to listen to the five Syrian officials be the UN headquarters in Vienna."

   Muallem said the officials, whose name were not released because of "the confidentiality of the investigation", would
return to Damascus after the interviews, adding that Mehlis had no power to arrest any suspects.

   He said the date for the questioning would be set after contacts with Mehlis.      

   The breakthrough was made after Syria received "reassurances" that its sovereignty will be respected and the right of the individuals be guaranteed, said Muallem.

   Mehlis issued an interim report last month that implicated Syrian and Lebanese security officials in the killing of Hariri in a massive truck bombing in Beirut on Feb. 14. Syria denied any involvement and dismissed the report as far from truth.

   The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Oct. 31 demanding Syria's full cooperation with the probe or face "further action".

   Mehlis then requested to question six alleged Syrian officials, reportedly including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's brother-in-law and head of the military intelligence Assef Shawkat, in his headquarters in Beirut.

   When asked why there are five officials to be questioned rather than six, Muallem said "I know that the number is five. I don't know where you get the sixth from."

   Syria has insisted that the venue of questioning be either Syria itself or the Arab League headquarters in Cairo and an cooperation protocol be signed before any inquiry, all were rejected by Mehlis.

   Muallem said, however, Syria dropped its demands after receiving the guarantees.

   The decision "is not a retreat because Syria never said it wouldn't cooperate with the international commission. We have received the necessary guarantees and Syria now will just cooperate," said Muallem. Enditem