KHARTOUM - Lebanon's President Emile Lahoud and Prime Minister Fuad Siniora argued openly Tuesday in an Arab summit session over a draft resolution pledging to support Lebanese armed groups, a diplomat said.

Siniora, who took part in the meeting without sitting in the Lebanese delegation headed by arch rival Lahoud, demanded the removal of a clause in a chapter pledging support to the armed "Lebanese resistance".

Lahoud protested at Siniora's request -- which reflects concern over the right of the Shiite Hezbollah to retain its arms -- leading to a vocal dispute between the two leaders, said the diplomat, requesting anonymity.

The draft resolution stresses "that the Lebanese resistance is a natural expression of the right of the Lebanese people to liberate its territory and defend its dignity in face of Israeli greed and aggression," according to copy seen by AFP.

It was not clear whether the resolution was adopted or dropped. A 2004 UN resolution had called for all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias in the country to be disarmed.

Siniora's decision to attend the Arab summit in Khartoum was a challenge to pro-Syrian Lahoud, whose mandate the minister's allies deem unconstitutional.

"This decision (for Siniora to go) is aimed at making up for the inadequate representation of Lebanon which is limited to the president of the republic," an aide of Siniora told AFP.

The anti-Syrian majority in Lebanon's parliament have contested Lahoud's right to represent his country at the summit, arguing that he is only still in office as his mandate was extended by Syria.

In September 2004, the previous Lebanese parliament extended Lahoud's mandate by three years in the face of opposition from a majority of Lebanese and a UN Security Council resolution.

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