The cabinet outlined the stand in its meeting Friday in reference to the digging by Syrian teams of two wells in the Deir al-Ashayer village which abuts Syrian territory.

"The government denounced the trespassing into Lebanese territory in Deir al-Ashayer by digging two wells in Lebanese territory within property owned by Lebanese citizens," the government said.

Information Minister Tareq Mitri said President Suleiman "informed the cabinet that he is following up his contacts in this regards and a waits an thorough response."

Cabinet minister Wael Abou Faour had raised the issue during the cabinet meeting saying Syria has penetrated Lebanese territory to a distance of 100 meters from the border line to dig two wells.

Diplomatic sources noted that the cabinet's denunciation as well as Suleiman's comment on the reported trespassing did not mention Syria explicitly.

However, adopting such a decision by Premier Fouad Siniora's cabinet reflects a development in dealing with Syria at a time Suleiman and his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad agreed on setting up diplomatic ties between the two states, but have so far failed in reaching agreement on demarcating the joint borders.

The dispute followed a report by a U.N. committee that Lebanon's eastern borders remain "OPEN" TO THE SMUGGLING OF WEAPONS FROM Syria, in a major violation of UNSCR 1701 that bans the illegal transport of weapons into Lebanon.

An-Nahar quoted diplomatic sources as saying denunciation of the Syrian trespassing by a cabinet that includes ministers who have relations with Syria is "an important development."

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