CAIRO, 9 November 2005 — UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan sought yesterday to assuage Arab fears over possible action against Syria but urged Damascus to cooperate fully with the international probe into the assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri.
“The message must go out that impunity will not be allowed and I think for most of the (UN security) council members, that is the objective and that will be enough,” he told reporters in Cairo.
He was speaking after talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit. “I would expect and urge Syria to continue its cooperation with the investigation,” Annan said.
The UN Security Council last week passed resolution 1636, urging Syria to cooperate with UN chief investigator Detlev Mehlis or face the consequences.
A preliminary report on the investigation pointed to the involvement of the Syrian and Lebanese security services in the massive bombing that killed Hariri on Feb. 14.
If the perpetrators were “made accountable, I think this will be the end,” Annan said. “Recently Syria has had a good record in implementation of UN resolutions. They did cooperate on resolution 1559” on the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon in April, he added.
“What is important is that Syria cooperates and they must get the message loud and clear. All the 15 members of the security council want Syria to cooperate in the investigation,” he went on. When asked if there was possibility of the repeat of “Iraqi scenario” in which foreign powers resort to military options against Syria if it does not comply with the international investigation, Annan tried to appease regional fears.
“I hope nobody is thinking of going in that direction. No one in the Security Council is thinking in those terms and as I have indicated, the objective is to get to the truth and punish the perpetrators and send a message that impunity will not be allowed to stand,” he said. “And I think we have enough problems in the region not to open other fronts,” Annan added.
“The UN resolution does not specifically threaten sanctions and if Syria does not cooperate, they (the Security Council) will look at what direction to take,” he also said. Annan also met Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa and Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif.
