"We believe such a draft resolution is a very important factor for the peace process and security in the Middle East," Mikahil Wehbe, Syrian ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters.

He said Israel was the only state in the region not to have signed the body of treaties and conventions covering WMDs in the Middle East.

The United States accused Syria late last week of carrying out WMD programs and of harboring terrorist groups and officials of the fallen regime in Iraq.

"We are concerned about Syria's own weapons of mass destruction," said US ambassador to the UN John Negroponte.

"I spent quite a lot of time this morning telling my colleagues of Syria's ongoing support for Hezbollah (Lebanon's anti-Israel Shiite movement) and that Syria harbors Palestinian groups who reject a peaceful solution," he said.

Syria's draft resolution, backed by most Arab countries and distributed to the press, is to be considered Thursday by experts of the member nations of the Security Council before being put to a vote.

SPACE.WIRE