U.S. pushes for strong U.N. action over Lebanon

By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is pushing for a strong U.N. resolution condemning Syria and Hezbollah for their actions in violence-torn Lebanon, but diplomats said on Wednesday there would be broad resistance to tough measures.

State Department spokesman Tom Casey said consultations were ongoing with U.N. Security Council members over how to tackle the worst spate of violence since the 1975-90 civil war, which the United States has blamed on Hezbollah and its backers Syria and Iran.

"At this point, it is not entirely clear what kind of action might come out of those discussions but certainly it is important for the Council to be able to speak strongly on this issue," said Casey, who declined to provide details.

"This is something that is of great concern to many Council members and we will be working closely to see what we can come up with," he added.

At least 81 people have been killed since violence broke out on May 7 following Lebanon's cabinet decisions against Hezbollah that prompted the Iranian and Syrian-backed movement to blockade the airport and run a civil disobedience campaign.

One option is to push for a strong, Chapter 7 U.N. Security Council resolution which would tag Hezbollah a terrorist group. However, a more likely scenario would be a non-legally binding presidential statement which would be easier to get.

Diplomats said a legally binding Chapter 7 resolution was very unlikely to get through the Council, and veto-wielding members such as Russia would never agree to it.

"We should be pragmatic at this stage," said one European diplomat when asked what the United Nations should do.