An international force under the mandate of the United Nations should not be sent to Lebanon until there is a ceasefire accompanied by a political deal, French President Jacques Chirac's office said yesterday.
Mr Chirac spoke to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and Nabih Berri, president of Lebanon's parliament, to discuss ways to end the fighting between Hizbullah and Israel.
"The president underlined that France hopes the international community will push for an immediate ceasefire founded on a political agreement between the parties," the statement from Mr Chirac's office said.
"The political agreement would be an essential prerequisite to the deployment of an international force under the mandate of the United Nations."
Western diplomats say France has emerged as the potential leader of a multinational force but has insisted on a ceasefire and a political agreement before it will consider what its role in such a force could be.
President George W Bush, who held talks with Mr Blair on Friday, has resisted international calls for an immediate ceasefire, saying a settlement must address Hizbullah's influence in Lebanon.
At least 469 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, have been killed in the fighting. Fifty-one Israelis have also been killed, 18 of them civilians.
Mr Annan has called a meeting in New York tomorrow to get troop contributions for an international force, which could be 15,000 to 20,000 strong, even though its mandate has yet to be set by the security council.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Jerusalem to push for an end to fighting as Israel signalled flexibility to get a deal on a peacekeeping force.