ANKARA - Turkey on Monday called on neighbouring Syria to heed a UN Security Council resolution demanding full cooperation with the probe into the assasination of former Lebonese prime minister Rafiq Hariri.

"We hope Syria will take the resolution into consideration and increase its cooperation with" the UN commission investigating the murder, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The UN resolution calls for Damascus to detain suspected nationals and urges states to impose a travel ban and a freeze of assets on all individuals designated as suspects in Hariri's killing.

It warns that the council could consider further action if Damascus fails to cooperate.

The resolution came in the wake of a report by UN chief investigator Detlev Mehlis earlier this month implicating senior Syrian security officials in the murder of Hariri in Beirut last February.

Turkey and Syria have greatly improved their stormy ties since 1998, when they came to the brink of war over Ankara's accusations that Damascus was sheltering separatist Kurdish militants fighting the Turkish government.

The crisis was resolved when Damascus expelled Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan.

Turkey has sought closer ties with Syria since the US-led invasion of Iraq, despite warnings from Washington to limit its cooperation with Damascus.

Copyright © 1999-2005 Lebanonwire^®.com. All rights reserved.