Related: U.S. urges Syria to comply with UN resolutions

          UN urges Syria, Lebanon to establish formal ties, demarcate border 

    

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem attends a parliament session in Damascus May 17, 2006. (Xinhua/AFP)

DAMASCUS, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Syria rejected on Wednesday a UN Security Council resolution calling on Syria to establish formal diplomatic ties with Lebanon and demarcate the countries' common border, terming it as "interference".

    "Resolution 1680 marks a new precedent in international relations in terms of interference in countries' internal affairs and the bilateral relations between them," a Syrian Foreign Ministry statement said.

    The resolution, which was sponsored by the United States, France and Britain, was adopted by the UN Security Council earlier Wednesday by 13-0 with Russia and China abstaining.

    It said such measures would be a "significant step" to asserting Lebanon's sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence.

    In line with Security Council Resolution 1559 passed the previous year, Syria withdrew its troops from Lebanon in April 2005 following massive protest at alleged Syrian involvement in the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri on Feb. 14, 2005.

    A UN probe has implicated Syrian officials in the killing though Damascus has denied its role. Enditem