Mistakes made with Syria, Hariri says

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Beirut made "mistakes" when it accused Damascus of having a hand in the assassination of a former Lebanese leader, the country's prime minister said.

Beirut is bracing for an indictment from the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon. The tribunal is investigating the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Syrian officials were believed to have played a role in the assassination, though Damascus has denied the allegations.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the slain prime minister's son, told London's pan-Arab daily newspaper Asharq al-Awsat that the accusations against Damascus were politically motivated.

"At a certain stage we made mistakes," he said. "We accused Syria of assassinating the martyred premier and this was a political accusation."

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said he expected the STL would indict several members of his organization but added Israel may have played a role in the plot.

Damascus dominated the political landscape in Beirut for years. Both sides mended their differences in recent years, however, exchanging ambassadors in a series of rapprochement measures.

"One must be realistic in this relationship and build it on solid foundations," the prime minister said. "One should also assess the past years, so as not to repeat previous mistakes."