Most of Lebanon's media reported that Damascus had rushed the meeting hoping to absolve Assad's regime from the 2005 assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri when Syria was the main powerbroker in Lebanon.

Unlike his predecessor Detlev Mehlis, Brammertz has kept his findings close to his chest, leaving everyone guessing which way the finger might point. The uncertainty has left Syria scrambling for ways to convince the international public opinion of its innocence.

The fact that the meeting did not take place did not surprise many political observers here in Beirut. Most felt that Damascus has returned to square one on cooperation with the UN and with the Lebanese.

Even those political observers that felt Detlev Mehlis was tough on Syria, when he accused them of lack of cooperation, are now of the opinion that Syria can no longer hide the fact that they are behind the murder of Hariri and that is why the leadership there is extremely nervous about meeting with Brammertz or any senior investigators.

As Ya libnan has reported yesterday, Gen. Rustom Ghazaleh, Syria's intelligence chief in Lebanon at the time of Hariri's murder was very nervous when he met with the reporter of the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Rai Al-Aam ... to the extent that the reporter hesitated several times to ask him (Ghazaleh) if he intends to commit suicide.

It appears from local reports that the Syrian regime wanted this interview to take place as a public relations gesture to show that Syria is innocent of the Hariri crime. Ghazaleh kept repeating throughout the interview: "I am innocent" and "Syria has nothing to do with the crime," but his nervousness backfired on the Syrian regime.

Syria has also insulted all the Lebanese by refusing to invite Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to go to Damascus and meet with the top leadership to discuss the relationship with Syria. This is despite the act that when Assad met briefly with Siniora in Khartoum, he welcomed his initiative to visit Damascus.

The biggest insult came from Walid Moallem, the new foreign Minister of Syria when he announced his refusal to establish embassies in both Damascus and Beirut. Syria has never recognized Lebanon as an independent nation and Moallem's response proves that Syria has no intention to ever recognize Lebanon as a sovereign, free and independent nation.

Siniora is set to meet with President George Bush in Washington DC at the White House April 18, so unless the Syrians act fast, he wont be able to travel to Damascus prior to his US visit ... and another opportunity for Syria to show cooperation will be lost.

The Syrian regime will need to change its behavior. Going back to square one in cooperation will isolate it further and more pressure to change the regime will follow. It is time for Assad to cooperate!

Picture: Syria's President Assad and Foreign Minister Moallem

Sources: Ya Libnan, Naharnet