BEIRUT, April 17 (Xinhua) -- UN Undersecretary General for Legal Affairs Nicholas Michel on Tuesday said an international tribunal into killing of Lebanese ex-Premier Rafik Hariri would be set up and called on divided Lebanese leaders to approve the court.

    Michel told reporters that the tribunal faces serious obstacles in parliament but the time has come for its legal framework to be approved by the legislature.

    Michel said that without Lebanese approval, the U.N. Security Council may move to set up the court independently, but many Security Council members still want Lebanon to fully approve the tribunal.

    After arriving in Beirut Tuesday afternoon, Michel met with Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri, a key opposition leader, who has refused to call the parliament to vote on the court. Michel met Prime Minister Fouad Seniora late Tuesday night.

    Declining to discuss details of the meetings, the UN envoy said he would continue his consultation with Lebanese officials across the political spectrum in the coming days.

    Michel also said that the UN has had contact with Syrian officials about the tribunal.

    Michel is due to meet with President Emile Lahoud Wednesday morning.

    "Of course there haven't been any direct negotiations between Syria and the UN, but there have been many contacts with (Syrian) officials and experts," he said.

    Rafik Hariri and 22 others were killed in a massive bomb blast in February 2005 in Beirut.

    The United Nations has signed a deal with the government to setup the tribunal, but it must be ratified by the country's divided parliament.