The assassination of the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on Feb. 14 in Beirut, has led to a real challenge for the United Nations, as well as Syria and the Lebanon.

I find myself agreeing with the words of Jack Straw, Britain’s foreign secretary, when he said this outrage “seemed to suggest that there were people, maybe countries, ready to resolve political difficulties by resorting to the medieval practice of political assassination.”

He feared the United Nations “would be seriously undermined if we were to turn a blind eye to this practice.”

On Oct. 31 the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a far-reaching resolution.

There had been fears before the vote that Russia might cast a veto. While the United States and the United Kingdom played leading roles, France was really in the driving seat. It will be remembered that France and the United States were co-sponsors of UNSCR 1559 which called for Syria to cease its interference in Lebanon and bring home all its troops.

The resolution on Oct. 31, which is binding, called on Syria to both detain and make available for questioning any of its officials who have been named as suspects in the assassination of Hariri, by Detlev Mehlis’ inquiry on behalf of the UN. It goes further as it also authorizes the placing of a travel ban and the freezing of the assets of any suspect identified by the UN investigators or the Lebanese government.

Russia was kept on board after the threat of economic sanctions against Syria, under Article 41 of the UN Charter, was reduced. The resolution states simply the council could, if necessary, “consider further action”. A subcommittee on sanctions is also established.

Russia would be able to activate a procedural devise to hold up any travel or asset blocking against Syrian officials.

During the debate in the Security Council there was a dramatic and angry clash between Jack Straw and Farouk Al-Shara, the Syrian minister for foreign affairs. The latter suggested that if Syria was presumed to have known about the plot against Hariri, then the United Kingdom must have known in advance of the bombings in London on July 7. This was absurd, and Jack Straw demanded a right to reply and declared such remarks as “worthless” and raised doubts over Syria’s intentions.

He went on: “Like all colleagues, I look forward to full cooperation by the government of Syria in substance as well as form with the Mehlis commission. But I have to say, after what I have heard, I’m not holding my breath.”

Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, warned Syria that failure to comply with UN demands would lead to “serious consequences from the international community.”

Syria’s behavior has left many of its natural supporters behind. The international community years ago thought the Syrians should give up their decisive say in Lebanese politics. Calls for Syria to make a move came from Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt. President Bashar Assad failed to act at once on UNSCR 1559.

The assassination of Hariri was a terrible event. Twenty-two other people were killed in the explosion and some 135 more were wounded. It has to be totally condemned just as so many assassinations by Israel have been condemned. Although the UN investigators — some 100 of them — in their interim report made much use of circumstantial evidence, and further investigations need to be, and are being, carried out, there was much detail that was extremely damaging to Syria. For example, their report found that a Syrian Army officer drove the vehicle used for the explosion from Syria a few days before the attack and it was then hidden in a Syrian military base. Their report describes intelligence intercepts and extensive forensic work.

Syria will be most unwise if it attempts to discredit the case being made against it as a plot by the United States and Israel supported by France and the United Kingdom. Clearly Syria has not been fully cooperating with the UN investigators and Detlev Mehlis has not been allowed private meetings with Syrian officials. That needs to change.

I do not doubt for a moment that Syria is facing a massive political crisis and the president’s brother and brother-in-law could be implicated. President Lahoud of Lebanon, who is known to be close to the regime in Damascus, received a telephone call just before the explosion telling him of the plan by Syrian and Lebanese security men and has much explaining to do to the Lebanese people. The UN needs to continue to act with calm deliberation. The Americans, who have plenty of problems with Syria, should allow other countries to take the lead in the weeks ahead. President Bashar has crucial and urgent decision to take.