UN Hariri court may destabilise Lebanon-Syria

DAMASCUS, May 30 (Reuters) Syria said a United Nations special court for the Hariri case passed by the Security Council today violated Lebanese sovereignty and could plunge Lebanon into further instability.

A government statement carried by the official news agency said Syria stuck by its long-standing concerns about the court compromising Syria's own jurisdiction over any Syrians who could be indicted for the 2005 killing of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri in Beirut.

''Setting up the court under Chapter Seven violates the sovereignty of Lebanon and could cause the situation there to become worse,'' the statement said. ''There has been no change in the Syrian position on the court.'' REUTERS CS SBA BST0150