UNITED NATIONS, May 31: A deeply divided UN Security Council on Wednesday voted to form an international tribunal to prosecute suspects in the assassination of Rafik Hariri, a former prime minister of Lebanon.

This was adopted with slightest of margins with 10 votes in favour and five abstentions.

Russia, China, Qatar, Indonesia and South Africa abstained.

Russia and China said they feared UN “interference” would worsen tensions in Lebanon. It seemed as either China or Russia would veto the measure but at the last minute they backtracked and compromised.

“It is not appropriate for the Security Council to impose such a tribunal on

Lebanon,” South African Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo said.

The issue of the tribunal has deadlocked the Lebanese parliament for months, reflecting the struggle for political control of the country between factions close to Syria and those who want to forge independence from the powerful neighbour.

Lebanon’s prime minister, Fouad Siniora, has pushed for the tribunal. The country’s president, Emile Lahoud, opposes it. Hezbollah, the radical Shia group supported by Syria, also opposes the tribunal. Hezbollah holds 14 seats in Lebanon’s 128-member parliament and has organised mass protests to oust Siniora.