Beirut, Jan 7, SPA -- Syria has rejected a U.N. request to meet President Bashar al-Assad as part of an inquiry into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri last year, diplomatic sources said on Saturday. They said Syria had told the U.N. commission the request violates the country's sovereignty, according to a report of Reuters. --SPA 13 35 Local Time 10 35 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/317426