In Beirut expectations are Mehlis commission's mandate will be extended
Beirut (AsiaNews) It is seems certain that the report by the international commission of inquiry on the assassination of Rafik Haririscheduled to be released on October 21will not contain final answers to all questions raised.
Diplomatic sources in Lebanon say German magistrate Detlef Mehlis, who is in charge of the inquiry, will ask for an extension, probably till December 15.
This said, as the date of publication nears, the whole of Lebanon seems to be holding its breath to see the political and security implications the report might have.
Army units are patrolling the cities and the main communications links. Security has been beefed up around foreign embassies and cultural organisations as well Lebanese government buildings and media outlets.
Interior Minister Hassan Sabeh said: "Short of declaring a state of siege, we have taken all the measures to face with any reaction that might follow the publication of the report."
Yesterday, some sources said that in his report judge Mehlis will ask UN General Secretary Kofi Annan for a mandate to interrogate "Syrian officials and public servants outside Syrian territory as witnesses to the Hariri assassination operation".
The same sources said that the location for the cross-examination will be decided by both Mehlis and Annan after recent interrogations in Syria proved inadequate because local "authorities failed to provide the expected co-operation".
Meanwhile, in Washington US State Department spokesman Adam Ereli told Radio Sawa that the United States "will continue to demand total co-operation with the Mehlis Commission from all parties in order implement Resolution 1559". Mr Ereli added that the issue of extending the mandate of the German judge had been under review by the Security Council for some time.
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