The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to vote Thursday on a proposal to extend and expand the investigation of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
A draft resolution by France, Britain and the United States would give the inquiry another six months, until June 15th, and would include other politically-motivated killings in Lebanon.
Lebanon's prime minister asked for U.N. help after a car bomb blast killed newspaper publisher and parliament member Gebran Tueni in Beirut Monday.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the extension is crucial to finish the work of the Hariri probe, which he said has been slowed by lack of Syrian cooperation.
Syria has rejected the claim and denied any role in the Lebanon killings.
