Frankly speaking, President Assad is in no position to dictate conditions on his cooperation with the UN investigation. The allegations made by Khaddam, who as the vice-president and architect of Syria’s Lebanon campaign has had a ringside view of the goings-on in Damascus, are quite serious in nature. Khaddam, who now lives in Paris, was a close friend of Hariri and had reportedly warned the former Lebanese PM of the threat to his life. The former vice president apparently knows what he is talking about.

Assad and senior members of his regime have no option but cooperate with the UN investigation fully to clear their name. The Hariri probe enjoys the mandate of the international community. Syria therefore cannot question the ‘legal basis’ of the UN demand to quiz Assad. After all, if he is innocent, he has nothing to fear.