FRANCE proposed yesterday that the United States and itself guarantee a ceasefire in South Lebanon. A plan on these lines was made available by diplomatic sources after the French Foreign Minister, Mr Nerve de Charette, arrived in Egypt on the latest leg of a peace shuttle.
The French plan called for commitments by Israel, Lebanon and Lebanese Hizbullah guerrillas not to attack civilian populations in each other's country.
This suggested solution differs substantially from proposals attributed to the US in that it does not call for an end to Hizbullah attacks on Israeli forces occupying a "security zone" in south Lebanon, nor require a direct Syrian guarantee.
Earlier, a Foreign Ministry spokesman in Paris said Mr de Charette's talks with the Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr Ehud Barak, were "useful but difficult", a diplomatic euphemism for a clash.
Meanwhile, at the United Nations Lebanon's ambassador said he was pressing ahead urgently with a proposed Security Council resolution calling on Israel to halt its "aggression" and to pay compensation for the destruction caused.
Mr Samir Moubarak said the draft was backed by non aligned members of the council and would be formally submitted later in the day.
A council debate on Monday on the violence across the Israel Lebanon border ended without the adoption of either a resolution or a council statement. But Mr Moubarak decided to continue to press for council action, saying: "We had the backing of the whole Arab group yesterday, and today we have presented our ease to the [non aligned] caucus [of council members] and I can tell you there was a sympathetic reaction from the caucus.
He said the draft would "ask the council to stop the Israeli aggression against Lebanon, to condemn the Israeli aggression, to force Israel to implement resolution 425, to ask Israel to compensate for all the destruction which has been taking place.