EU hopes Lebanon accord will spur Security Council

The EU hopes that an accord by its foreign ministers on 1 August on the next steps towards resolving the conflict in Lebanon could pave the way for a deal at the Security Council later this week.

The 25 ministers, including five from EU countries currently on the United Nations Security Council, called for Israel and Hizbullah to observe an "immediate cessation of hostilities", to be followed by a negotiated and "sustainable ceasefire".

Under the proposals, both sides would unilaterally halt military operations to allow a ceasefire to be negotiated.

The EU text echoes a French-drafted resolution, circulated in Brussels and New York this week, which is aimed at bridging divisions in the international community over the need for an immediate ceasefire. Following the meeting Margaret Beckett, the UK foreign minister, described the French text as "a very good draft".

Tuesday's agreement narrowly avoided embarrassment for the EU.

Ministers had rejected an early proposal from the Finnish presidency which would have called on both sides to observe an "immediate ceasefire".

The Czech Republic, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands backed the US policy of pressing for a plan to be in place to disarm Hizbullah, before any halt in hostilities.

France, Greece, Ireland, Spain and Sweden, concerned by the growing humanitarian cost of the conflict, called for an immediate ceasefire. Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern said that while the difference between a cessation and a ceasefire was politically important, it meant the same to the people on the ground.

The deal reached by ministers makes it more likely that the EU will provide substantial troops to the planned UN-peacekeeping force.

Ireland, France and Spain, foreseen as major contributors to the force, had been deeply unhappy at the prospect of international troops being deployed to southern Lebanon without a ceasefire in place.

Ahern said that without a ceasefire peacekeepers would be in harm's way without a clear role to play.

But it is still unclear whether the US will back the European Union's position at the UN.

Israel is likely to seek assurances that the international community will disarm Hizbullah after hostilities have ceased and that the time will not be used for Hizbullah to rearm. One Israeli diplomat said that there must be a strong Security Council resolution before any cessation could be contemplated.

An announcement by President Bashar al-Assad that Syrian troops were to be placed on high alert highlighted the need to involve Syria in the talks.

Some diplomats said that Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy chief, could perform the task of engaging Syria. Others said that Israel had also privately asked the EU to play such a role.

The EU hopes that an accord by its foreign ministers on 1 August on the next steps towards resolving the conflict in Lebanon could pave the way for a deal at the Security Council later this week.