DAMASCUS (AFX) - Syria backed Lebanon's approval of a UN resolution aimed at ending hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah but also expressed reservations on the text, official media said.
'Syria supports Lebanon's unanimous decision as well as official Lebanese reservations about UN Security Council Resolution 1701,' an anonymous Syrian official was quoted by the official SANA news agency as saying.
'Syria deeply regrets that the Security Council did not take into consideration a number of Lebanese demands and did not hold Israel responsible for its barbaric aggression against innocent civilians and for the destruction of infrastructure which constitute war crimes,' the official added.
The Lebanese government -- which includes two Hezbollah ministers -- on Saturday approved Resolution 1701 that was passed on Friday but voiced reservations on the document.
The reservations related to the absence of any condemnation of Israeli destruction in Lebanon and lack of clarity on the issues of Lebanese prisoners held by Israel as well as the Israeli-occupied Shebaa farms, an official Lebanese source said.
Syria and Iran are seen as Hezbollah's main backers, although both countries deny they supply the Shiite movement with arms. newsdesk@afxnews.com afp/cml COPYRIGHT Copyright AFX News Limited 2005. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News. AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited