[JURIST] Syria has invited German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis, head of a UN investigation [UN materials] into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri [JURIST news archive], to visit Damascus to discuss cooperation between UN investigators and the Syrian committee investigating Hariri's murder [JURIST report], Syrian state media reported Wednesday. Security officials from both Syria and Lebanon were implicated in Mehlis' interim report [text], released last month, and the UN Security Council subsequently passed a resolution [text] calling for Syria's cooperation with the UN committee. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad [BBC profile] has assured him that Syria will cooperate with the UN probe [UN News report]. Syria is currently considering a UN request to interview six officials [JURIST report] in connection with the murder investigation. Reuters has more.

5:15 PM ET - Syria said Wednesday that it is questioning the six officials that UN investigators have asked to interview. Syria has imposed a travel ban on the officials, preventing them from going to Lebanon to meet with Mehlis and his team. Reuters has more.