DAMASCUS, March 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem is expected to visit Moscow next week to discuss the U.N. probe into the killing of Lebanese ex-premier Rafik Hariri, the independent Champress e-paper reported on its website on Thursday.

    Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the remarks after meeting with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan in the United Nations on Wednesday, the report said.

    "We plan to discuss the situation in the region and urge Syria to cooperate with the U.N. commission. This is our position," Lavrov said.

    "Attention will be given to the development of Russian-Syrian relations. We will also discuss the implementation of the U.N. Security Council's resolution on Syria," the minister added.

    Syrian authorities did not make any official announcement on the reported visit by Muallem until now.

    Syria has been under intense international pressure following the killing of Hariri last February in a massive bombing. Many Lebanese believed Damascus was behind Hariri's death.

    Syria denied any role but was forced to withdraw its troops from its smaller neighbor last April.

    The U.N. Security Council adopted Resolution 1636 last October, demanding full Syrian cooperation with the probe and threatening unspecified further action if Damascus fails to heed the call.

    Syria rejected requests by former U.N. chief investigator Detlev Mehlis to question President Bashar al-Assad, but allowed security officials to be questioned in Vienna.

    In two interim reports, Mehlis implicated senior Syrian and Lebanese officials in the killing. Four Lebanese generals are currently under arrest in Lebanon. Enditem