Syria has agreed to allow UN investigators to question its officials over Rafiq al-Hariri's assassination at the United Nations building in Vienna, Syria's deputy foreign minister has said. Deputy Foreign Minister Walid Moallem told a news conference on Friday that the breakthrough in negotiations with the United Nations came after Syria received âreassurancesâ that its sovereignty would be respected. "The (Syrian) leadership has decided to inform Mehlis that it accepts his suggestion, as a compromise, that the venue to listen to the five Syrian officials be the UN headquarters in Vienna," Moallem said. Moallem said the date for the questioning would be set after contacts with Mehlis. There was no immediate comment from the UN investigation team. The official said the individuals, whose names were not released, would return to Damascus after the interviews. His announcement came a day after Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa criticised Mehlis for refusing Syrian offers on where and how to question the six Syrian officials that the commission wished to see.