The UN Security Council was divided on Wednesday over a draft resolution under which Syria would have to cooperate fully in the UN probe of the murder of Lebanese former prime minister Rafik Hariri or face possible sanctions.

The 15-nation council held its first round of consultations late Wednesday on the draft introduced by the United States, Britain and France. The measure also calls for individual sanctions, including a travel ban, on Syrians suspected of being involved in Hariri's murder.

Emerging from the closed discussion, French Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere told reporters that he was "very encouraged by this meeting." "Everyone wants to send a strong message to get full cooperation from Syria," he added.

"They all want to know the truth, the whole truth," Sabliere said. "So to have the whole truth, full cooperation from Syria is needed."

US Ambassador John Bolton said a number of questions had been raised during the consultation which "legitimately require answers." But he declined to give details.

"We are going to continue to proceed with the assumption that we're looking for a ministerial meeting (of the Security Council) on Monday to adopt the text," he said.

"I am optimistic about it. There was unanimous support that Syria has to cooperate with the Mehlis investigation which it has failed to do and that the council should send a clear message on that point," Bolton added.

Defending the draft resolution, he said: "In our view that requires the language we have about Article 41 (of the UN Charter)."

The draft says the council, if needed, intends to consider further measures, in accordance with Article 41, to ensure Syria's compliance. Under Article 41, the council can resort to economic or diplomatic sanctions.

Japanese Ambassador Kenzo Oshima said that "there is general agreement that we should be very firm and clear in seeking full cooperation from Syria."

"The question is how far do you want to go in ensuring that key point," he said.

Diplomats who attended the meeting said that the draft met opposition from Russia, Algeria, China, Tanzania, Brazil, the Philippines and Argentina. The support of Russia and China, veto-holding permanent members on the council, is crucial for the adoption of the resolution.

Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya told reporters that China has "difficulties" with the draft since it is always cautious about the issue of sanctions. He added that China hopes the wording of the draft will be modified so that it could be adopted by consensus.

Algerian Ambassador Abdallah Baali said the Arab League and Hariri's son, Saad Hariri, had already expressed opposition to threatening Syria with sanctions. He warned that the US-British-French draft could set a dangerous precedent.

A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry has said that Moscow would "do everything necessary to stop attempts to introduce sanctions against Syria."

Source: Xinhua