Syrian President Bashar al-Assad finds a decision to send more troops to the border to be in "harmony" with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.

He conveyed his clarification to Lebanese President Michel Suleiman in a telephone call made by the latter to follow up on the issue of troop buildup and Syrian measures along the Lebanese border.

Assad made it clear to Suleiman that the action falls within the framework of measures taken a while ago to prevent smuggling, adding that the move had been agreed on during the latest Syria-Lebanon summit.