Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Walid al-Mualem was touring the Gulf on Sunday to drum up Arab support on the eve of a United Nations meeting to discuss possible sanctions against Damascus. In an apparent effort to head off a tough draft Security Council resolution backed by the United States, Britain and France, Syria launched its own investigation on Saturday into the killing of Lebanese former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri. The inquiry, ordered by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, will question Syrian civilians and military personnel and cooperate with a UN inquiry that has already implicated senior Syrian officials in the Feb 14 assassination, officials said. Mualem delivered a letter from Assad to Saudi Arabiaâs King Abdullah on Saturday to confirm Saudi support of Damascus at Mondayâs UNSC foreign minister meeting, which was expected to demand Syria cooperate or risk economic sanctions. âKing Abdullah confirmed the kingdom stands by Syriaâs side against the pressures it is being subjected to by some international sides,â said SANA, Syriaâs official news agency. It said Mualem told King Abdullah that Syria was willing to cooperate with the UN team probing Haririâs murder and that he would deliver this message to other Gulf states. Assad discussed the issue with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak during Mubarakâs surprise visit to Damascus on Friday.