Conference agrees to work for a ceasefire

US, European and Arab officials held crisis talks on Lebanon today, but failed to agree on an immediate plan to force an end to the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas.

Although officials called for an end to the violence, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said any ceasefire must be “sustainable” and that there could be “no return to the status quo ante.”

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for the formation of a multi-national force to help Lebanon assert its authority and implement UN resolutions which would leave Hezbollah disarmed.

After listening to a dramatic appeal from Lebanese prime minister Fouad Saniora for them to stop the killing, the officials said they had agreed on the need to deploy an international force under the aegis of the United Nations in southern Lebanon.

“Participants expressed their determination to work immediately to reach, with utmost urgency, a cease-fire that puts an end to the current violence and hostilities,” said Italian foreign minister Massimo D’Alema at the close of the meeting. “The ceasefire must be lasting, permanent and sustainable.”

He said many of the participants in the meeting appealed for an immediate and unconditional truce.

Referring to the ceasefire, D’Alema said: “To obtain this objective, you must exercise pressure on all parties involved, directly and indirectly, on who can exercise influence on Hezbollah and on Israel.”

“We asked Israel for maximum restraint to respect civilians and infrastructure,” he said.