The Bush administration has threatened to refer Syria to the UN Security Council, accusing it of not cooperating with the inquiry into the killing of Lebanon's ex-Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and creating an "atmosphere of fear" in Lebanon.
In a strongly worded statement, US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice experessed Washington's "grave and continuing concerns about Syria's destabilising behaviour and sponsorship of terrorism". Damascus has "failed" to implement five UN Security Council resolution on the assassination of Hariri, Rice said. "Syria must cease obstructing the investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Hariri and instead co-operate fully and unconditionally, as required by UN Security Council resolutions.
"We call upon the Syrian regime to respond positively to the requests of UN Independent International Investigation (UNIIIC). We intend to refer this matter back to the Security Council if Syrian obstruction continues," Rice said in her statement.
She also called on Syria to halt its support for groups such as Hizbullah. "Continuing assassinations in Lebanon of opponents of Syrian domination, including most recently the murder of journalist and Member of Parliament Gebran Tueni on Dec 12, 2005, create an atmosphere of fear that Syria uses to intimidate Lebanon," Rice said.
