U.N. Security Council OKs Syria Resolution
By EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press WriterMon Oct 31, 6:22 PM ET

The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Monday demanding
Syria's full cooperation with a U.N. investigation into the assassination of
Lebanon's former prime minister and warning of possible "further action" if
it doesn't.

The United States, France and Britain pressed for the resolution following
last week's tough report by the U.N. investigating commission, which
implicated top Syrian and Lebanese security officials in the Feb. 14 bombing
that killed Rafik Hariri and 20 others. The report also accused Syria of not
cooperating fully with the inquiry.

The three co-sponsors agreed to drop a direct threat of sanctions against
Syria in order to get support from Russia and China, which opposed sanctions
while the investigation is still under way. Nonetheless, the resolution was
adopted under Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter, which is militarily
enforceable.



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Syrian Bigwigs and Capital Flee under Implied Threat of Military Action

DEBKAfile Special Report

November 1, 2005, 2:30 PM (GMT+02:00)

The threat of military action was embedded in the UN Security Council
resolution. It was reinforced by US Secretary of state Condoleezza Rice when
she spoke of "serious' consequences" - diplomatic parlance for military
action - should Syria fail to cooperate with the final and conclusive part
of UN investigator Dehlev Mehlis' inquiry into the murder of Lebanese leader
Rafiq Hariri last February.