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France proposes multinational force in Lebanon

JERUSALEM: France is offering to set up a multinational force in south Lebanon as part of an agreement to halt 13 days of fighting between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas, an Israeli newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The daily Haaretz quoted French Foreign Minister Herve de Charette, who was in the Middle East trying to broker a ceasefire, as saying France was ready to join such a force as part of an accord to get Israel out of Lebanon and disarm militias there.

"The short-term purpose which must be achieved in a reasonable time is to bring about an overall solution of the problem -- that is to act towards a withdrawal of the Israeli soldiers from south Lebanon," he told the newspaper.

"On the other side, the armed militias in Lebanon must be disarmed and security assured on both sides of the Israeli- Lebanese border. That is the aim we are working to meet, and France has made clear its readiness to contribute to that, in the framework of an international force," he said.

Haaretz said Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, when he met de Charette on Sunday, refused to discuss the details. He demanded mediators coordinate efforts, explaining he was waiting at the time to hear from U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher, on a shuttle mission between Israel and Syria. Washington is Israel's closest ally.

Israel launched the air-and-artillery bombardment in Lebanon with the declared aim of stopping the Shi'ite Moslem Hizbollah from rocketing northern Israel.

International mediation efforts intensified last week after Israeli shelling killed more than 100 civilians seeking refuge at a U.N. post in south Lebanon. On Sunday Syria, the main power broker in Lebanon, backed the French mediation effort.

The newspaper said de Charette gave Peres a three-pronged proposal calling for:

-- A ceasefire for a limited time, during which temporary security arrangements would be determined.

-- A written agreement on security arrangements to prevent attacks on civilians on both sides. Observers from the United States, France, Russia and additional European countries would take part in a committee that would investigate complaints during which the time the complaining side would not be able to respond militarily.

-- The resumption of Israeli peace moves with Syria and Lebanon after Israeli elections on May 29. The Israeli army would withdraw from its south Lebanon security zone set up in 1985, Lebanese militias would be disarmed and an international force would be deployed in south Lebanon helping the Lebanese army take responsibility for maintaining security.

French Foreign Ministry spokesman Yves Doutriaux told Reuters on Saturday that the French plan was based on a 1993 understanding between Hizbollah and Israel to refrain from attacking civilians.

The plan strengthens the 1993 accord by putting it in writing and having France, the United States and other European states guarantee it, he said.

The French spokesman said the plan also called for the establishment of a security committee to monitor implementation of the accord and to look into any violation of the deal.

"If there is any violation the committee will investigate that and parties would not be permitted to retaliate while the committee was doing its inquiry," he said.-Reuter