BEIRUT, Lebanon - Political talks in Lebanon aimed at resolving internal divisions resumed Monday, three days ahead of the release of a new UN report into last year's assassination of ex-premier Rafiq Hariri.

The dialogue includes 14 leaders from across the political and religious spectrum and bids to forge national unity amid stark differences that have essentially paralyzed the government since the April 2005 pullout of Syrian troops after a 29-year presence.

The leaders "calmly discussed the need to draw the borders between Lebanon and Syria, particularly with regard to the Shebaa Farms, by appealing to the United Nations," a member of the meeting told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The Shebaa Farms area is claimed by Lebanon but occupied by Israel. The United Nations considers the territory as part of Syria since Israeli pulled out of southern Lebanon in May 2000.

"The question of establishing diplomatic relations between Beirut and Damascus was also discussed," the source said after four hours of talks which were set to resume later Monday evening.

Key issues of contention include the country's embattled pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud and the armament of Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah.

The closed-door conference broke off last week after Druze leader and anti-Syrian MP Walid Jumblatt traveled to Washington where he renewed his call for Lahoud's resignation and the disarmament of Hezbollah whose fighters exclusively patrol the former Israeli-occupied south.

Fears of a potential attack by Hezbollah led the Israeli army announce a "maximum" security alert late Sunday, and it began warplane flights over southern Lebanese territory on Monday, about two weeks ahead of Israel's general election.

Backed by Iran and Syria in its long campaign of resistance to Israel's 22-year occupation of south Lebanon, Hezbollah faces a UN Security Council demand for the disarmament of its military wing.

"The question of the Shebaa Farms is linked to the drawing of Lebanese-Syrian borders (which remain vague in several areas) and consequently to Hezbollah's armament," said a second conference participant who did not wish to be identified.

"By establishing that these 'farms' are indeed Lebanese, an armed Hezbollah which is fighting to recover them would then be legitimate," the source said.

Following a massive election win in southern Lebanon last year, the Muslim militant group joined the Lebanese government for the first time. Hezbollah is considered a "terrorist" group by the United States.

Meanwhile, Serge Brammertz, the new Belgian chief of the UN probe into the assassination of Hariri, prepared to present his commission's report to the UN Security Council on Thursday.

A UN spokesperson in Beirut said the report would be "submitted Thursday to the Security Council," but gave no further details on the report or a planned visit by Brammertz to Damascus before he heads to UN headquarters in New York.

Since his nomination on January 11, Brammertz had conducted his mission in utmost secrecy. He made his first trip to Damascus on February 23 where he met with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem.

In January, the commission asked to interview Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Vice President Faruq al-Shareh, but there has been no word on whether any such contacts took place.

Hariri was killed along with 20 other people in a massive bomb blast on the Beirut seafront in February 2005.

Two previous reports by the UN investigation, formerly led by German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis whose term expired at the end of last year, implicated Syria and Lebanon for top-level involvement in the plot to kill the billionaire ex-premier.

Syria, the longtime powerbroker in Lebanon, has denied involvement and blasted the reports as politically biased.

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