RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- Saudi Arabia commended Syria's decision to allow five officials to be interviewed by a U.N. inquiry into the slaying of ex-Lebanon Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Prince Bandar bin Sultan, secretary general of the National Security Council, was quoted Monday as saying "it was a wise and courageous decision."
Bandar handed a letter from Saudi King Abdullah to Syrian President Bashar Assad on Sunday in which he said the Saudi monarch congratulated Assad on the decision "which resulted in important consequences that serve the interests of the Arab nation as well as the interest and safety of the Syrian people."
Saudi Arabia reportedly mediated the compromise decision under which Syria agreed that U.N. inquiry chief, German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis, interviews the five Syrian security officials at the U.N. seat in Vienna, instead of his headquarters in Lebanon.
Syria said it received guarantees, reportedly from Russia, that its officials would return home after being interviewed by Mehlis who will not have the power to arrest them.
The five Syrian suspects, who were not identified, were expected to fly Monday to Vienna where Mehlis will reportedly start interviewing them Tuesday.
Initial press reports said Mehlis named six Syrian suspects in its report to the Security Council last month, including Assad's brother-in-law and military intelligence chief Asaf Shawkat.
