U.S. President Barack Obama has vowed to support United Nations efforts to bring to justice the killers of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
In a statement Thursday ahead of the 4th anniversary of the assassination, Mr. Obama said Mr. Hariri's "sacrifice will not be in vain."
He said the United States fully supports the U.N. Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is due to begin trying suspects in the murder on March 1 at The Hague.
Mr. Obama also pledged continued U.S. support for Lebanon's "sovereignty and independence," its "legitimate institutions" and its people.
Mr. Hariri and 22 other people were killed on February 14, 2005 in a massive car bomb explosion in Lebanon's capital, Beirut. International pressure following the attack prompted Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon later that year, ending a 29-year presence.
An initial U.N. inquiry implicated senior Syrian intelligence officials in the attack, but Syria has strongly denied any involvement.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.