France promises to consider Lebanese objections to UN draft

France’s UN ambassador today promised to take into account Lebanon’s concerns that a UN resolution aimed at ending nearly a month of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah does not seek the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

However, Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere did not say whether his nation was prepared to add such language to the text.

The Security Council agreed to meet a delegation of Arab foreign ministers who warned the council at a meeting in Beirut on today not to adopt resolutions that do not serve Lebanon’s interests.

That meeting is expected to take place on Tuesday afternoon, meaning that the council probably would not adopt a resolution until Wednesday at the earliest.

Washington and Paris were expected to circulate a new draft later today, in response to amendments proposed by Qatar, diplomats said.

The proposed changes include a call for Israeli forces to pull out of Lebanon once the fighting stops and hand over their positions to UN peacekeepers.

Arab states also want the UN to take control of the disputed Chebaa Farms area.

De La Sabliere said he would work through the day to improve the text but suggested he would only go so far.