(Adds detail, background, paragraphs 4-7, 17-18)

By Irwin Arieff

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Russia questioned on Thursday whether Lebanon's government had acted legitimately in approving a U.N.-backed special court to try suspects in the murder of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.

"We are somewhat bothered" that Lebanon's president had objected to the approval by a government diminished by the resignation of six of its ministers, Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin said when asked if Moscow questioned the legitimacy of the approval.

Before Russia could consent to the plan along with its Security Council colleagues, "We will look at how it all fits into the Lebanese constitution," he said. "Our experts are looking."

The 15-nation council would meet on Monday behind closed doors to discuss the plan with U.N. Legal Counsel Nicolas Michel, council members said.

U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said he hoped for council approval within days and he did not expect the objection of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud to affect deliberations.

The government, led by anti-Syrian Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, "has told us that they accept the draft, and we accept that," Bolton said.

French Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere said he also expected council approval for the tribunal blueprint.

But Churkin said of the conflicting statements by Siniora and Lahoud: "This is one of the things we will be looking at."

Hariri was assassinated in a suicide truck bombing in February 2005, sparking anti-Syrian protests and eventually the end of Syria's long-running military presence in Lebanon.

A U.N. investigation, which is continuing, has implicated Lebanese and Syrian security officials in the bombing. Syria has denied any role.

PARLIAMENTARY OK NEEDED

Churkin spoke shortly after Secretary-General Kofi Annan submitted the court plan to the council. Before the tribunal could be set up, the plan would have to be approved by the Lebanese parliament as well as the council.

The Lebanese Cabinet approved the blueprint for the court on Monday and Siniora sent a letter to Annan formally notifying the U.N. leader of that action.

But Lahoud promptly wrote Annan that the action had been illegitimate because he had not himself approved it, although he added he supported the idea of the tribunal, "but with regulations."

Lahoud said the Cabinet session that approved the draft also was illegitimate. Six pro-Syrian opposition ministers, including all of the Shi'ite Muslims in government, did not attend the session.

Five ministers from Shi'ite groups Hezbollah and Amal had quit the Cabinet on Saturday when talks over giving the opposition a greater say in government collapsed. A sixth minister, loyal to Lahoud, resigned before Monday's session.

U.N. chief spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the letter from Siniora was enough for Annan to take the plan to the council because the prime minister had been the main Lebanese point of contact with the United Nations on the tribunal plan.

"Obviously there are constitutional realities in Lebanon, which the Lebanese authorities will have to deal with," Dujarric said. "But that is up to them once the Security Council has given its green light and the tribunal framework has gone back to Beirut."

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