MARZUKI DARUSMAN SELECTED UN INVESTIGATION COMMISSION MEMBER

New York, June 20 (ANTARA) - Marzuki Darusman, former Attorney General of Indonesia, was selected a member of the United Nations Independent Commission for Investigations on Friday.

The members of the UN independent commission will start working on July 1, 2009 looking the facts and circumstances surrounding the 2007 assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhuto.

Besides Marzudi Darusman, the other member of the Commission, set up in response to a request of the Pakistani Government, is Peter Fitzgerald, a veteran of the Irish National Police who has served the UN in a number of capacities.

"The selection of the former Attorney General Marzuki Darusman is a reflection of the recognition of his expertise," Indonesian permanent representative to the UN Marty Natalegawa said on Friday.

According to the UN media center, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sent a letter to Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan's President and Ms. Bhutto's widower, informing him of the start of the Commission of Inquiry.

The Commission, chaired by Ambassador Heraldo Mu'oz of Chile, will have a mandate of six months and will be fact-finding in nature, as noted by the Secretary-General in February, when he announced his intention to set up the probe.

"The duty of determining criminal responsibility of the perpetrators of the assassination remains with the Pakistani authorities," the media center said.

The Commission will submit its report to the Secretary-General within six months after starting its work, and Ban will share the report with the Government and submit it to the Security Council for information.

Noting that Ms. Bhutto's birthday anniversary is this Sunday, the media center added that the UN is committed to assisting Pakistan by establishing the facts and circumstances of her death.

Meanwhile, Natalegawa said the Indonesian government had informally disclosed that one of its experts would be selected as member of the Commission.

"The Commission of Inquiry has been established at the request of the Pakistani Government to the UN Secretary General. Since the announcement of the commission in February, the Indonesian government had been informally kept abreast of the possibility of Indonesians elected as members of the Commission," Natalegawa said.